Sonia Gandhi leads long march against intolerance in India
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NEW DELHI: Congress president Sonia Gandhi led her party’s protest march to the Rashtrapati Bhavan, the Indian presidential palace, on Tuesday against the "continuous rising intolerance" under the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)-led government, according to a report on the Hindustan Times website.
The party also said that an atmosphere of fear prevailed in the country.
Prior to the long march, Congress president Sonia Gandhi, party-vice president Rahul Gandhi and former Indian prime minister Manmohan Singh laid a floral wreath at the statue of Mahatma Gandhi situated at New Delhi's Parliament House.
The Congress leaders carried placards that said the party will fight communalism and no attempt should be made to disrupt the solidarity of the country.
Read: Indian intellectuals alarmed by rising intolerance attacks
Congress vice-president Rahul Gandhi criticised junior foreign minister of India Gen VK Singh for his dog analogy, which the and former Indian army chief had made after a nine-month-old boy and his toddler sister, both belonging to India’s lowest social caste of Dalits, were burnt alive in an arson attack in Faridabad district.
Read: Indian minister’s ‘dog comment’ sparks anger
“People are being lynched, but the PM doesn’t find it necessary to say a word,” the Congress vice-president told reporters after holding a meeting with Indian President Pranab Mukherjee. “The heart of the problem is that they believe in an ideology that is not tolerant,” Rahul Gandhi was quoted in the report.
Meanwhile, Congress leader Anand Sharma said there is an atmosphere of intolerance and fear has emerged in the country.
"We want the President to make this deaf and mute government understand this issue of rising intolerance," India's former Minister for External Affairs Salman Khurshid said as the Congress leaders reached their destination to give an announcement to Indian President Pranab Mukherjee to convey their reservations on the issue.
The government earlier rejected the notion that the recent developments were part of a "perception being manufactured by certain sections" against the Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
Sonia Gandhi met the President on Monday evening but party sources termed it as "personal" meeting. The meeting came on a day Modi targeted her, saying Congress leaders had no right to talk about tolerance when they were involved in the 1984 anti-Sikh riots.
“Several recent incidents are part of the strategy to divide the society,” the Congress chief had said after meeting the Indian president. “Some groups that are associated with or included in Prime Minister (Narendra) Modi’s government are part of this... The Congress will fight this.”
She had also submitted a memorandum to him on the issue.
Read more
On DawnNews
Comments (70) Closed
Nov 03, 2015 06:36pm
Thankyou Sonia for raising this important issue. Appreciate that.
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Nov 03, 2015 06:37pm
Congress is the oldest and best Political Party of India!
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Nov 03, 2015 06:38pm
Indian people are with you Ms.Gandhi!
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Nov 03, 2015 06:43pm
Sonia should be PM of India. Unfortunately her Italian identity always stands in the way. I personally voted for BJP in lok sabha. Though incorrupt, BJP fails to live up to its expectations.
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Nov 03, 2015 06:46pm
first step she should do is distribute the stolen tax payers money to good use of public service. then she can march anywhere she wish
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Nov 03, 2015 06:46pm
The sikhs protested against Congress at the same time.
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Nov 03, 2015 06:49pm
@Naxalite @SP No one likes Congress what ever they do it does not matter for us. Although we stand against intolerance but we stand against Congress a well.
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Nov 03, 2015 06:51pm
Great step in the right direction, people like Shiv Sena must be suppressed and eliminated. Why Modi hasn't come forward and lead this rally, he is the PM of everybody in this country?
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Nov 03, 2015 06:53pm
So she wants to prove there was no shiv sena element in India in congress time. India is dictated by theses extremists regardless of any part ruling.
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Nov 03, 2015 07:04pm
Give time to Modi, please , Dont push him to corner so much so that he has no options left ...
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Nov 03, 2015 07:21pm
@Hamada - There is no "first" or second step. Intolerance and 'stolen tax payers money' are quite a different kettle of fish. Why doesn't government sue her if that's what she did? Appreciate a good gesture as that's what it is!
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Nov 03, 2015 07:24pm
Intolerance in society has definitely increased. There are various reasons for it - 1. emerging consumerism - gap between haves and have not. Arrogance of haves 2. Cost of day to day items is high 3. Jobs growth is slow 4. Some bad low level politicians who beat up people like doctors etc 5. Media that is of its worst kind 6. Congress out of power is like fish without water. 7. Modi not giving back to people within and outside party. Fringe elements like shiv sena emboldened by this. 8. Good actions being taken in IT but not visible on ground like roads electricity 9. Modi too much focused on external affairs and over selling india.
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Nov 03, 2015 07:25pm
It was better for her to talk about the genocide against Sikhs committed by congress party ......
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Nov 03, 2015 07:27pm
@Naxalite
The elections did not reveal that! They were wiped out, and she and her son are making a desperate attempt to become relevant.
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Nov 03, 2015 07:28pm
@Changez_Khan This protest is against modi government which fail to speakup against the recent incidents in country. Furthermore elected members of BJP were giving controversial statements.
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Nov 03, 2015 07:30pm
Cong.most corrupt then bjp
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Nov 03, 2015 07:30pm
Intolerance is a Perception which is being created by the Congress, in a population of 125 crore if 1 unfortunate person is targeted or killed, thats not Intolerance. INDIA WAS-IS-WILL be secular !
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Nov 03, 2015 07:36pm
The Indian National Congress has given the lead.Will any Political Party Show their guts to take out such a procession?
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Nov 03, 2015 07:40pm
She had won the elections but still deprived of premiership on the pretext of being a foreigner. She had groomed in a society where people respect each others view point and that is why she is protesting the intolerance in Indian society. Indian could have benefited from her vast experience if she had been given the PM slot instead of Manmohan Singh .
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Nov 03, 2015 08:02pm
Very healthy, positive, & constructive move by Congress...save India & save secularism...!!
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Nov 03, 2015 08:04pm
Of course Sonia will.. Its such a pathetic situation in the country.
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Nov 03, 2015 08:16pm
First she should be ashamed of Sikh Genocide committed by Hindu's with the support of her very own congress party, and ask for forgiveness and then preach Tolerance. Congress has played equal role in communal violence as BJP and VHP.
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Nov 03, 2015 08:20pm
@MARX Please know about the citizenship treaty between India and Italy, and know the reasons why Sonia can never be prime minister. And Indians are tolerating this family for so long, that shows how tolerant we all are!! It saddens us that they made the oldest political party stoop so low that even majority of sane folks of the country dislike Congress.
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Nov 03, 2015 08:22pm
Congress divided India prior to independence into India and Pakistan due to Nehrus intolerance towards Jinnah. Congress then divided India on caste, religion etc for vote bank politics. Congress then divided Pakistan into Pakistan and Bangladesh due to intolerance of Indira Nehru-Gandhi. All congress did so far is divide behind the fake diguise of secularism.. Today congress is intolerent to see a tea seller become a PM and doing good to the country just because they think India belongs to the dynasty. Truth is here, something to think.
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Nov 03, 2015 08:23pm
@Sudheer Roads are not responsibility of central govt, get your facts correct
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Nov 03, 2015 08:25pm
well had it not been her party corruption and vote bank politics , intolerance would not have been in power in india. when any any politician is caught for corruption in pakistan he cries democracy, in india whenever you ask about corruption to a politician you are threat to secularism
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Nov 03, 2015 08:28pm
Compare its with 50 some countries in the world, India is still beautiful peace loving Hindu Majority country where every body is accepted. Every View is listened and its biggest democracy.
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Nov 03, 2015 08:32pm
Sonia's Congress has no right to talk about intolerance because they never took any action against 1984 Sikh riots accused people.....Congress and BJP are both bad for India.....AAP (Aaam Admi Party) needs to rise up and hopefully get selected in the future
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Nov 03, 2015 09:07pm
Irony is that all those incidents happened in Congress ruled states ... And they are blaming central govt for those ...
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Nov 03, 2015 09:10pm
SRK said the same but some indians were so angry at him.......
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Nov 03, 2015 09:12pm
Sonia Gandhi long march,a step in the right direction.More such long marches in every city,more returns of reward,more actions of dislikes from print media,as well as electronic media,and no votes to BJP in any future election.
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Nov 03, 2015 09:47pm
She is just playing politics.
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Nov 03, 2015 09:58pm
Common!!! Congress have always won on basis of religion divide and religion unrest.
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Nov 03, 2015 10:04pm
I congratulate the Might of Modi, who successfully dragged the Congress Dynasty Royalty to the Streets of Delhi.
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Nov 03, 2015 10:14pm
India should arrest such intolerance in the bud. If not stopped, this will destroy social fabric of India. Being a county of 1.3 billion people, if this continues it will have serious repercussions.
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Nov 03, 2015 10:14pm
In 1984 she was busy with Rajeev Gandi when more than 3500 sardarji were killed
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Nov 03, 2015 10:17pm
@Ali (Lahore) aap - another drama party...
dont tell us who is good for us Indians. we have elected the BJP and they are the best for us.
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Nov 03, 2015 10:30pm
And Corrupt Communal Congress is going to win this undergoing Election of Bihar by capturing less then 8 seats (Average Poll statics) & BJP NDA is going to sit in opposition by winning 127 seats, Seems to me Public has cleared its choice. Congrats to Congress.
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Nov 03, 2015 10:38pm
Congress the Great. This party consist of highly qualified technocrats and followers.
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Nov 03, 2015 10:54pm
A mature politician.
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Nov 03, 2015 10:54pm
Out of sight out of mind. Now she wants people to remember her for next election. Pure political gimmick
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Nov 03, 2015 11:55pm
she is a tigress ,have been seeing her since 1996
always ready to fight back,when chips are down
but unfortunately she is the last one left in a party which was once factory of great leaders
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Nov 04, 2015 12:19am
Congress is intolerant about any other party coming to power
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Nov 04, 2015 01:24am
Well said sudhair. The para he wrote reflected the matter trully.
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Nov 04, 2015 01:48am
A sign of healthy democracy in India. A party with 44 Lok Sabah seats making noise against majority of over 400 seats.
If there are elections today, will congress stand a chance?
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Nov 04, 2015 01:51am
India is on the path of accelerator in terms of development, hopefully congress will remain in docks for next 2 decades.
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Nov 04, 2015 02:07am
BJP is in self-destruct mode.Modi honeymoon is over.
But congress is full of corrupt ppl,they literally looted the country 2004-13.Literally scams are in range thousands of crores.
Sonia gandhi was on richest politicians list.(Huffingtonpost- Liberal website).
For India looks like two options:
Religious nuts BJP VS Corrupt(looters) Congress.
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Nov 04, 2015 02:33am
4th richest politician in the world,about 20 billion dollars.as per the newspapers.
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Nov 04, 2015 03:31am
@kashmiri pandit national highways are central govt. I am not talking of state highways
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Nov 04, 2015 03:33am
One person killed and ink thrown on another person is not intolerance, no matter how much media tries to defame modi government.
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Nov 04, 2015 03:55am
No matter who does what, the fact remains that Muslims were massacred when Congress was in power.
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Nov 04, 2015 05:11am
Congress talking about intolerance ? Really? They are the most opportunistic party ever! Sikh riots, Mandal commission, no development , Muslims in India should blame the congress for their state as Congress just used them but never worked for them. If equality for all exists without reservations I beleive competition will drive development
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Nov 04, 2015 06:06am
Make sure your party workers aren't spreading it before pointing a finger towards so called communal party.
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Nov 04, 2015 06:08am
She should also lead a march to her own residence protesting the Sikh massacre in 1984.
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Nov 04, 2015 07:33am
It is all show by her. At least she now on the street protesting .
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Nov 04, 2015 09:33am
Before questioning to modi government she should answer about Muzaffarnagar riots, 1984 riots, Tasleema Nasreen ban, Mumbai attack, Kashmiri pandit migration and many more...
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Nov 04, 2015 09:47am
Modi will stay for 10-15 years .....
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Nov 04, 2015 10:08am
@braintothink : I am extreemly thankfully to congress for some divisions in the past...cheers!!
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Nov 04, 2015 10:08am
@braintothink : I am extreemly thankfully to congress for some divisions in the past...cheers!!
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Nov 04, 2015 10:09am
This is a good omen. The vibrant civil society in India should come forward and support the lady in her endeavor. India is a huge country with wide diversity. If religious tolerance is allowed to grow here, it will destroy the very fabric that holds it in tact.
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Nov 04, 2015 10:20am
after having 100 mouse the CAT march toward Haj.
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Nov 04, 2015 10:23am
@Naxalite Congress is the oldest and best Political Party of India!
read the history of India after Independent under Congress rule you will got all the answered. who is tolerant & intolerant.
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Nov 04, 2015 10:36am
This lady has been talking of dividing the country while her party has practiced divide and rule policy throughout their 60 and odd years of rule. I wonder why she is going to the president while the Dadri incident occurred in a state ruled by a party that's a UPA ally and the murder of the rationalist happened in Karnataka, a state ruled by her own party.
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Nov 04, 2015 10:43am
@Harmony-1 One of the intolerant incident she is referring to happened in a state ruled by her own party. The other happened in a state ruled by one of UPA's alliance partner. In India law and order is a state subject. When she can pull up the chief ministers of the concerned states I wonder why she is going to the central government.
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Nov 04, 2015 11:06am
@Ali (Lahore) AAP, the way they are doing in Delhi now are no better than congress. BJP is the best of the lot.
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Nov 04, 2015 11:13am
@Dipak Singh Congress is the oldest, but the worst political party in India.
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Nov 04, 2015 12:58pm
Congress is history. BJP is present and future of India. India needs to shed this Congress nonsense.
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Nov 04, 2015 02:03pm
Modi single handedly tore down the oldest party of India. He is the final and only hope. Congress is irrelevant and these people are all money makers, corrupt to the core. They can only think of giving things for free to the poor and keep them begging for more. Also keep pampering minorities. All this helped Modi. More you suppress Modi, more he bounces back. If they wanna make a comeback, their gameplan should be to avoid Modi and look at various department performances and start picking gaps. All this nonsense will not help. All three gentlemen died in congress ruled states and when congress were at the center. Now, after two years you cannot say it is intolerance. One guy killed in a small remote village is linked to Modi is also silly. Think about it.
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Nov 04, 2015 03:52pm
for the information of all the pakistanis, the shiv sena was used and supported by the congress party to break the hold of the communists in the trade unions of the textile mills in mumbai during the late sixties.
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Nov 04, 2015 04:54pm
@Sudhir Neyalasinger - A sad incidence of violence can happen here and there. That's not the point. The real issue is voices of discourse and intolerance coming out of the mouths of ministers, no condemnation from them of violent incidences and Modi remaining mum.
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