Sushma should resign for dancing at Rajghat: Cong

Image: Leader of the Opposition Sushma Swaraj
Photographs: Reuters

The Congress on Tuesday demanded the resignation of Opposition Leader in Lok Sabha Sushma Swaraj after visuals showing the top BJP leader dancing at Mahatma Gandhi's samadhi Rajghat sparked a controversy.

"By dancing at the samadhi of Mahatma Gandhi, Sushma Swaraj has not only insulted Gandhiji but all the freedom fighters and the entire countrymen. She should resign from the post of the Leader of the Opposition and apologise to the people," All India Congress Committee General Secretary B K Hariprasad said.

The controversy erupted on Monday when visuals showing Swaraj dancing at Rajghat while on a protest were aired on television channels.

However, Swaraj defended her act saying she was dancing to the tune of patriotic songs to boost the morale of the cadres which is in keeping with the traditions of the party.

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'Advani, an old man in a hurry to become PM'

Image: Senior BJP leader LK Advani

Hariprasad alleged that Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh and Sangh Parivar had a hand in the campaign against corruption by Anna Hazare and Baba Ramdev.

He also attacked senior BJP leader L K Advani, saying the BJP leader was an "old man in a hurry" to become Prime Minister and "has hence outsourced the role of the Opposition to Hazare and Ramdev" after losing in two elections.

"RSS is behind all these things. They have been attempting all this because the old man is in hurry to become the Prime Minister. He should wait for the people to vote for him," he added.

'Hazare is a mask of RSS, Sangh Parivar'

Image: Social actvist Anna Hazare

Launching a blistering attack on Hazare, the Congress leader said he is a "mask of RSS and Sangh Parivar" and said he was no better than Baba Ramdev.

"Hazare is also a mukhouta (mask) of RSS and Sangh Parivar. Ultimately it is people who elect and select their leaders. The prime minister is elected by 120 crore people and not by the so-called civil society. What were they doing all these days," he asked.

"It is not their satyagraha but the agrah for satta (demand for power)," he said.

The senior Congress leader also justified the police action against Ramdev, claiming the Sangh Parivar "had a conspiracy to create a Godhra-like communal violence."

"There was a big conspiracy from the Sangh Parivar because they had given a call to their activists to assemble in Ramlila ground on Sunday in numbers to the tune of one lakh. The area is full of minorities. There was a big conspiracy to create a Godhra kind of situation and disturb peace and tranquillity in the area," Hariprasad alleged.

'If Ramdev was not evicted at night it would be a disaster'

Image: Ramdev supporters scatter after tear gas canisters were thrown in by police at the Ramlila grounds
Photographs: Reuters

The AICC general secretary said the action taken by the government was justified otherwise it would have led to a serious law and order problem. He said had the government not acted in the night to evict Ramdev and his followers then there would have been "a disaster and catastrophe". A "right decision" was taken to avoid that, he said.

On what was the need for the crackdown when Ramdev was organising a peaceful protest, Hariprasad said the then BJP government in Uttar Pradesh had filed an affidavit in the Supreme Court assuring that there would be no damage to the Babari mosque but the structure was demolished.

About the controversy surrounding the visit of four ministers to the airport to receive Ramdev, Hariprasad said it happened because a meeting was arranged at the lounge since the yoga guru did not want to meet the government representatives outside.

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