Nashik, Sept 2: Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Wednesday asked district-level leaders to stand firmly by the party’s ideology and ensure justice for the people.
Attending a training camp for district Congress presidents in Maharashtra near Nashik, Gandhi, a martial arts practitioner, also gave a demonstration of karate and jujutsu to the participants.
Jujutsu is a traditional Japanese martial art and close-combat system that uses holds, throws, and strikes to defeat an opponent.
Arif Naseem Khan, a member of the Congress Working Committee, said Gandhi met newly-elected district presidents and also their families. “He gave them the message that they should stand solidly with the ideology of the Congress and fight to ensure that people get justice,” he said.
Gandhi arrived in Nashik in the morning, met senior Maharashtra Congress leaders, and interacted with tribal students before visiting the training camp.
He interacted with district unit presidents for around two hours, a Congress functionary said, adding that he also gave them a demonstration of jujitsu and karate, and spoke about how to make one mentally and physically strong.
The 10-day training programme for newly-appointed district Congress chiefs in the state concluded on Wednesday in Gandhi’s presence.
During his one-day trip to Nashik, Gandhi took stock of the party’s organisational preparedness, met top state leaders and tribal representatives, and interacted with newly appointed district presidents.
The Maharashtra Congress appointed 69 new district and city presidents in May as part of the organisational revamp.
This was Gandhi’s second visit to the state since August 22, when he held the Pune leg of the “Chhatron Ki Goonj” student movement against paper leaks, exam irregularities, and rising fees.
Former CM Prithviraj Chavan told reporters in Nashik that state unit leaders discussed “current important issues” in Maharashtra with Gandhi.
Issues like the exclusion of more than 2.06 crore electors from Maharashtra’s draft electoral roll following the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) exercise were discussed, Chavan said.
Budgetary allocation for the Nashik kumbh mela, starting in October, and inflation figured in the discussions, Chavan said. “For the kumbh mela, the focus is on paying 40 per cent commission to some people,” he added.
“We also discussed issues like farmer suicides in Maharashtra and farmers’ opposition to the Rs one lakh crore Shaktipeeth highway,” Chavan said.
BJP leaders protested in Nashik on Wednesday against Gandhi’s visit to the city, accusing his party of opposing women’s representation in Parliament and state assemblies.
Nashik Mayor Himgauri Aher-Adake and other women BJP leaders and supporters took out a protest march against Gandhi’s visit. (PTI)
