CAA-NRC notebandi 2: Rahul

Strap: Fears return of violence to Assam under BJP govt

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Priyanka alleges attack by UP cops

Lucknow: Congress general secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra alleged UP police had manhandled her when she was on her way to visit the family of former cop SR Darapuri detained during anti-CAA protests here. The UP police stopped her, provoking the Congress leader and supporters to walk some distance to the venue they wished to visit.

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1,000 AMU students booked for violence

Aligarh: The Rapid Action Force has filed a complaint against 1,000 unnamed AMU students in connection with the violence on the campus during a protest against alleged police action in Jamia Millia following the agitation over CAA on December 15, a senior official said. An FIR was filed on December 23 by RAF commandant Punit Kumar, SSP Aakash Kulahari said on Friday.

Row over SP telling protesters ‘to go to Pak’

Meerut: A row erupted after a video showed Meerut SP Akhilesh Narayan Singh saying that protesters who had hit streets could “go to Pakistan”, drawing sharp criticism from various quarters. The incident purportedly took place on December 20 in Lisari Gate police station area, when the SP was speaking to locals in a narrow lane after violent protests and clashes in the city last week left five persons dead.

Tribune News Service

New Delhi, December 28

Dubbing CAA-NRC as “Notebandi 2”, former Congress president Rahul Gandhi today attacked ruling BJP’s ideological mentor RSS saying in Assam that the state would not be run from Nagpur.

Addressing the “Save Constitution-Save India” rally to mark Congress’ 135th foundation day in Guwahati, Gandhi riled the RSS saying, “Assam will not be administered by ‘chhaddiwalas’ (half-pant sporting men). Assam will not be run from Nagpur. It will be run from the state and by its people.”

Rahul, who led the Congress foundation day event, recalled the Assam Accord in Guwahati. He claimed Assam might return to the path of violence due to policies of the BJP governments at the Centre and the state. “The spirit of Assam Accord, which brought peace to the state, should not be violated. It was drafted by all. Wherever BJP comes to power, it spreads hatred.”

The comments that provoked reprisals from BJP came in context of anti-Citizenship (Amendment) Act protests in the state.

Earlier this morning, after Congress president Sonia Gandhi unfurled the National Flag at AICC headquarters, Rahul equated CAA-National Register of Citizens with “Notebandi 2”.

“What’s going on is Notebandi 2. The poor should forget the ill-effects of demonetisation. This one will deal them a double blow. Fifteen industrialist friends of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, however, will not be asked for any documents. As for who is lying, you saw my video on the detention centre after PM Narendra Modi said there were no detention centres in India. You can yourself decide who is lying,” he said.

The Congress marked its foundation day with “Save Constitution” rallies across India.

Rahul attacked the PM for CAA-NRC and said demonetisation had wrecked the Indian economy, which was why students were on streets.

“Assam will be administered by the people of Assam only. It is not only Assam, but the entire North East which has its own history, languages and culture. BJP has failed to understand you …We clearly stated in Parliament that we will not allow CAA to be passed. We shall not allow any attack on Assam and the North East people and we assure you that no Indian citizen would be allowed to be affected by this Act,” said Rahul.

AICC general secretary and Sonia Gandhi’s daughter Priyanka Vadra was in Lucknow where she administered a pledge of the Preamble of Indian Constitution to Congress workers.

As Congress leaders attacked the government for CAA and NRC across states, former Home Minister P Chidambaram said in Kerala that the Centre won’t be able to move on the National Population Register if states declined to cooperate.

“If state governments say they cannot spare officers for the exercise, what can the Centre do? The Centre can do nothing,” Chidambaram said on queries about NPR.