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| Babri Masjid demolition controversy revived | | Congress washes its hands off Rahul's statement | | NEW DELHI | MAR 20
Rahul Gandhi, Congress member of the Lok Sabha, was taken aback on Tuesday when his statement on the demolition of the Babri Masjid was virtually disowned by his party. Barely a day after he made the statement, the Congress party conveniently washed its hands off the issue. The Congress party's standpoint: The statement on the demolition of the Babri Masjid was based on Rahul Gandhi's own assessment.
Congress spokesperson, Satyavrata Chaturvedi, has said: "We have not seen or read his statements. He has said something based on his own assessment". Chaturvedi went on to say that the party has clarified its stand on the demolition of the Babri Masjid several times in the past. Rahul Gandhi's statement came on the second day of the poll campaign for the Assembly polls in Uttar Pradesh.
Rahul Gandhi said in Deoband (UP) on Monday: “Had anyone from the Gandhi family been active then, it would not have happened at all. I have heard my father telling my mother that he would have stood in front of the Masjid to protect it". The 37-year-old Congress MP from Amethi, Rahul Gandhi, kick-started the party's poll campaign from Ghaziabad on Sunday. The Gandhi scion is scheduled to cover as many as 32 constituencies in the Western UP belt over three days.
The roadshow will cover areas where Ajit Singh's Rashtriya Lok Dal (RLD) and Mulayam Singh Yadav's Samajwadi Party have a strong presence. The Congress party's decision to rope in Rahul for UP's electoral battleground comes after an embarrassing defeat in two States — Punjab and Uttarakhand.
Even Congress chief, Sonia Gandhi, has admitted that UP, where it has been out of power for nearly two decades now, continues to be a difficult challenge. The polling for the first phase will be held on April 7. The UP Assembly polls will be held in seven phases.
In all likelihood, the polls will witness a four-cornered contest, with the incumbent Samajwadi Party making a valiant effort to retain power and the Mayawati-led Bahujan Samaj Party trying to emerge as the single largest party. The Bharatiya Janata Party and the Congress will be the two other main contenders in the race.
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