Wardha, Maharashtra:
Congress president Sonia Gandhi addressed a 'Sadbhawana Rally' at Sewagram in Wardha district today to mark the culmination of the flag march undertaken by party workers on Gandhi Jayanti on October 2.
A day after her rally become the focus of a fundraising controversy, Sonia Gandhi sent out a strong message to the state unit.
''In today's delicate times, protecting limits and ideals is important. Many battles have been fought under the Congress flag. It is up to you to protect its honour and glory,'' Sonia Gandhi said.
The rally was part of the concluding ceremony of the 'Gram to Sewagram' flag march organised by the Maharashtra unit of Congress.
A video clip, released on Thursday, showed state Congress chief Manikrao Thakre and a senior leader discussing spending several crores on the rally and raising money from ministers. The video was the result of an indiscreet conversation right after a press conference.
(Watch)While Sonia appeared with Manikrao Thakre on the podium today, her words made it clear she was far from pleased.
In its defence, the Congress says there's nothing illegal in raising funds for a rally, all parties do it. But the episode has become a major source of embarrassment and even Chief Minister Ashok Chavan could not avoid referring to it.
''There were many who were casting doubts on whether Sonia
ji would come for the rally, but she was clear she would. I am grateful that she came,'' Chavan said.
For a party that talks of austerity and the cause of the
aam admi, this multi-crore spend on a rally is going to be hard to justify, all the more because the rally was in Wardha - home to Gandhi's ashram and also part of Vidarbha, Maharashtra's farmer suicide belt.