Rahul Gandhi holds meeting with Congress state heads, slams PM Modi's 'non-seriousness' regarding COVID-19 crisis, border tensions

Former Congress president Rahul Gandhi and general secretary KC Venugopal held a meeting with party's state presidents on Wednesday through video conferencing to discuss the country's tension with China on the Line of Actual Control (LAC), the situation in the country due to COVID-19 pandemic and rising fuel prices.

In memory of the 20 soldiers who lost their lives in the violent face-off with China at Galwan Valley in Ladakh, the party has decided to hold a 'Salute to the Martyrs' programme across the country on June 26.

The Congress has directed state units to stage a dharna (sit-in protest) at all district headquarters across the country on June 29 against the rising prices of diesel and petrol.

According to sources, Rahul Gandhi and Sonia Gandhi are also expected to participate in the programme to be held in Delhi on June 26. The venue of the programme is not decided yet and it may be tentatively held in front of Mahatma Gandhi's statue inside the Parliament premises. In this regard, the Delhi Congress has called for a meeting on Thursday.

According to a source, Rahul Gandhi has asked all the state presidents to put forward the "failure" of the government on all three issues very strongly. Rahul Gandhi said in the meeting that he had already warned about the crises in the country, but "Prime Minister Narendra Modi did not act on it".

The Congress scion said that whether it is the worsening economic situation or COVID-19 outbreak, the Prime Minister's "attitude is responsible for the current situation of the country as he did not take any problem seriously and decisions were not taken on time".

He further said that China has started an action on the LAC under a thought-provoking strategy, which the government is not accepting. "Our foreign policy has completely collapsed," he added.

The former Congress president said the country's relations with friendly and neighbouring countries have deteriorated and alleged that the Prime Minister is responsible for it.

He said that Congress demanded immediate financial assistance to the public through direct benefit transfer but the government is not ready to accept the same.

At the end of the meeting, many state presidents spoke of the Congress workers' desire that the reins of the party should be taken over by Rahul Gandhi. Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot had raised this demand in the meeting of the Congress Working Committee. Several leaders have also written a letter to Rahul Gandhi on Wednesday in this regard.