NEW DELHI: Congress President Sonia Gandhi and former party chief Rahul Gandhi caused the 136th Foundation Day event to be missed on Monday with party leader AK Antony unfurling the flag in the AICC headquarters here.
Several senior party officials were present at the meeting, including the AICC general secretary. Priyanka Gandhi Vadra.
Others present included some of the “letter writers” such as Ghulam Nabi Azad and Anand Sharma, who had sought organizational reform in the party, in addition to Sachin Pilot, who rebelled against the Congressional government in Rajasthan some time ago.
While Sonia Gandhi has been avoiding attending public events, Rahul Gandhi left on a short personal visit abroad only on Sunday.
Later, speaking to reporters, Priyanka Gandhi Vadra said that the government should listen to the voice of farmers and should not label the upheaval as a “political conspiracy”.
Thousands of farmers are camping on the borders of Delhi to push for the repeal of three new central agricultural laws.
“To say that this is a political conspiracy is wrong. I feel like the words used for farmers are a sin. The government is accountable to the farmers and the government should talk to the farmers and repeal the laws,” he said.
He said that the Jawans who protect the country’s borders are the children of farmers and that the government must understand that farmers are the country’s ‘annadatas’ (food givers).
He did not answer questions about Rahul Gandhi’s absence.
Rahul Gandhi left for overseas on Sunday afternoon on a short personal visit and would be away for a few days.
The party has not revealed where Gandhi is traveling, but according to sources he has gone to Milan.
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