New Delhi: Amid the ongoing political conundrum in Punjab and senior party leader Kapil Sibal questioning the delay in the election of the party president, Congress leader Randeep Surjewala on Thursday said the Congress Working Committee (CWC) meeting will be convened very soon following the demands from G-23 leaders.
“Following the demand from G-23 leaders, a meeting of the Congress Working Committee (CWC) will be called soon,” said Surjewala, PTI reported.
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Questioning the delay in the party president’s election, Sibal had earlier on Wednesday said the Congress was in a situation where it should not be.
“In our party, there is no president. So we don't know who is taking these decisions. We know and yet we don't know,” he told a press conference.
Meanwhile, several Congress G-23 leaders, who had last year written to party chief Sonia Gandhi demanding an organisational overhaul, on Thursday strongly condemned the attack on Sibal’s residence terming it as “orchestrated hooliganism”.
Senior Congress leaders, including Ghulam Nabi Azad, P. Chidambaram, Anand Sharma, Bhupinder Singh Hooda, Manish Tewari and Shashi Tharoor, extended their support to Sibal.
Condemning the “orchestrated hooliganism” at Sibal’s residence, Azad in a tweet said: “I strongly condemn the orchestrated hooliganism @KapilSibal’s residence last night. He is a loyal congressman fighting for the party both inside and outside the Parliament. Any suggestion from any quarter should be welcomed instead of suppressing, hooliganism is unacceptable.”
Chidambaram on his part said he feels “helpless when we cannot start meaningful conversations within party forums”.
“I feel helpless when we cannot start meaningful conversations within party forums. I also feel hurt and helpless when I see pictures of Congress workers raising slogans outside the residence of a colleague and MP. The safe harbour to which one can withdraw seems to be silence,” he wrote on the micro-blogging platform.
Former Haryana chief minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda also echoed similar sentiments and said “orchestrated hooliganism” outside Sibal’s residence last night is “not the culture of the Congress”.
“Orchestrated hooliganism outside @KapilSibal’s residence last night is not the culture of Congress. If one has any difference of views, the same should be brought up and discussed at party forum," he tweeted.
Sharma on his part said that he was “shocked and disgusted to hear the news of attack and hooliganism” at Sibal’s residence.
“Shocked and disgusted to hear the news of attack and hooliganism at Kapil Sibal's house. This deplorable action brings disrepute to the party and needs to be strongly condemned,” he tweeted.
Asserting that the Congress has a history of upholding freedom of expression, Sharma those responsible must be identified and disciplined.
“Those responsible must be identified and disciplined. Urging Congress president Sonia Gandhi to take cognisance and strong action,” he tweeted.
The Rajya Sabha MP further said “intolerance and violence is alien to Congress values and culture”.
“Congress has a history of upholding freedom of expression . differences of opinion and perception are integral to a democracy. Intolerance and violence is alien to Congress values and culture,” he said in a series of tweets.
Congress MP Manish Tewari also “unequivocally” condemned the “orchestrated hooliganism” at Sibal's residence last night.
“Unequivocally ‘condemn’ orchestrated hooliganism ‘@KapilSibal’s residence last night. Those who masterminded assault must bear in mind that he fights for @INCIndia both inside & outside courts of Law. You may find his views uncomfortable but that cannot be a license for violence,” Tewari tweeted.
“Those who are trying to defend the‘ command performance’ last night. This is what happened @KapilSibal’s house “They damaged the car. Stood on top,so it caved in .Threw tomatoes both outside and inside the house .If this is not hooliganism then what else is it “???” he wrote on the micro-blogging platform.
Responding to Tewari's tweet, Congress Shashi Tharoor tweeted: “That is shameful. We all know @KapilSibal as a true Congressman who has fought multiple cases in court for @INCIndia. As a democratic party we need to listen to what he has to say, disagree if you must but not in this way. Our priority is to strengthen ourselves to take on the BJP!”
Earlier on Wednesday, the Youth Congress workers staged a protest outside Sibal’s Jor Bagh residence and reportedly damaged a car.
The Youth Congress workers also raised slogans against Sibal, asking him to “leave the party”.
The protestors also raised slogans in support of Congress leader Rahul Gandhi.