‘Will show who I am,’ says Tanwar after quitting Cong

Aditi Tandon
Tribune News Service
New Delhi, October 5

In a pre-election jolt to the Congress in Haryana, former state unit president Ashok Tanwar today resigned from the party’s primary membership, crying conspiracy against leaders groomed by Rahul Gandhi.

Describing Congress as the “anti-thesis of democracy where money, blackmail and pressure tactics work”, he  declared a virtual war on his bête noire BS Hooda, the Haryana ex-CM, signalling a sustained campaign against the latter on the eve of October 21 polls.

“Tomorrow we will mark the third anniversary of injustice and the physical assault that I and my supporters suffered in New Delhi on October 6, 2016, at the hands of these people,” Tanwar said when asked what role he would play in the state elections after quitting the Congress. Earlier today, in his resignation to Congress president Sonia Gandhi, Tanwar accused Hooda’s men of assaulting him in October 2016 and rued “lack of justice” by the party.   “Upon the culmination of Rahul Gandhi’s Khat Yatra from Deoria to Delhi on October 6, 2016, at Bhairav Mandir, I along with supporters, was attacked with lathis and iron rods by Hooda’s personal security officer and his hooligans…Shinde committee was set up but no action was initiated against anyone,” he wrote.

Tanwar said he would not join the BJP and would continue to fight for his supporters who felt let down by the Congress. Not once did the former state chief attack Sonia Gandhi or Rahul Gandhi. “Sonia ji is like a mother to me... my fight is against lobbies that are out to sabotage the Congress,” he said.

In his letter, he raised questions on the party’s functioning. “Today the Congress is going through an existential crisis not because of its political opponents but because of serious internal contradictions…Now the Congress is the anti-thesis of democracy, plagued by feudal attitudes and medieval conspiracy theories…Numerous conspiracies are being hatched to eliminate those young leaders who have been groomed by Rahul Gandhi,” the letter to Sonia read, resonating the charge former Mumbai Congress chief Sanjay Nirupam levelled on Friday – of Sonia’s coterie sabotaging Rahul aides.

On Congress’ advice to introspect as to whom were his actions helping, Tanwar retorted, “Have you ever asked this question to those who prevented me from functioning as Haryana Congress president? Whom were their actions helping? I will now show who I am to those asking who Ashok Tanwar is…”

In his letter, Tanwar attacked Hooda and his son for “pocketing ticket” during the Lok Sabha polls “despite Rahul Gandhi’s reluctance” and also lashed out at AICC general secretary organisation Ghulam Nabi Azad for “selling out his responsibility of being the eyes and ears of the high command.” The buzz in the party is that Tanwar’s actions could well have the tacit support of Rahul Gandhi.

He was star campaigner, Up to him: Selja

Kumari Selja, Haryana unit Chief : “Organisations are bigger than individuals. We owe our political identities to the organisation. If Tanwar has decided to quit, it’s his call. The Congress had named him a star campaigner in Haryana.”