On Sachin Pilot's Yatra, Congress's Clarification - And A Reminder

In an apparent message to the dissident camp led by Sachin Pilot in Rajasthan, the Congress' state in-charge Sukhjinder Singh Randhawa on Saturday reminded them of how the leaders in the past had fared after leaving the party.

Mr Randhawa, who reached Jaipur airport, was replying to queries on the future of Sachin Pilot in the party.

"The party never wants to expel anyone. Congress is such a party that respects every person and never wants to leave those who are with it for a long time. The Congress did not expel anyone, and you all know the condition of the ones who left the Congress,” he said without naming anyone.

Mr Randhawa also took a dig at the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) at the Centre, saying that the government "which could not run a Rs 2,000 note for more than seven years is asking what the Congress did in 70 years".

Concluding his five-day Jan Sangarsh Yatra in Jaipur recently, Pilot had placed three demands in front of the government, including disbanding the Rajasthan Public Service Commission (RPSC) and its reorganisation, compensation to every youth affected by the government exam paper leak and conducting a high-level inquiry into the corruption allegations against the previous Vasundhara Raje government.

He has threatened to launch an agitation if the demands are not met by May end.

Regarding Sachin Pilot's Yatra, Randhawa questioned the timing of the march.

“I say even today that it is a personal yatra. The Congress has nothing to do with it. The yatra should be taken out but undertaking it before the voting (in assembly elections) in Karnataka, I do not consider it a good thing...,” he said.

Mr Randhawa said that those talking of alleged corruption during the tenure of the previous Raje government should also say that action "is not being taken against (Union Minister) Gajendra Singh Shekhawat in the Sanjeevani Credit Co-operative Society scam. This should also be raised".

He said that the evidence in support of corruption allegations should be put before the appropriate forum.

On the impact of the tussle among Congress leaders in Rajasthan on the upcoming assembly elections, Mr Randhawa said, “There is no permanent enemy and no permanent friend in politics.

"It is an attempt by the BJP to spread things like there is no unity in the Congress, the Congress is not working and that there are differences among the leaders of the Congress.” Mr Randhawa further said, “BJP talks about making India Congress-free but we have made south India BJP-free and after that, we will make mnorth India BJP-free.” Randhawa also hit out at the Centre over the Reserve Bank of India's (RBI) announcement to stop the circulation of the Rs 2,000 note.

“The government which could not run Rs 2000 note in seven years is asking the Congress what it did in seventy years. These (notes) could not last even for seven years. Congress ran the country for 70 years, it brought the country to the number one position in the world.

"BJP people will answer this, they should be asked that in seven years you could not run a note, how will you run the country.”