States Watch

Tributes to Rajiv Gandhi

Kranti Yatra

KARIMNAGAR: The Karimnagar District Congress Committee of Andhra Pradesh conducted Kranti Jyoti Yatra in the district during August. On the occasion the freedom fighters were felicitated at a function which was attended by party MLAs, party leaders and the Congress workers of the district on the concluding day on 15 August at the District Congress Committee office.

Vikas Yatra

NEW DELHI: The All India Congress Committee general secretary, Shri Oscar Fernandes, flagged off the `Vikas Yatra' on October 3 being undertaken by the Delhi Pradesh Youth Congress to spread awareness among the masses about the achievements and work done by the Delhi Government during the past five years. The youth activists led by their president, Shri Rajesh Lilothia, will cover all the 70 Delhi Assembly constituencies on bicycles in the coming weeks.

The cycle yatra, dedicated to the memory of the former Prime Minister, Shri Rajiv Gandhi, took off from 10 Janpath, the residence of the Congress president, Smt. Sonia Gandhi. It would cover all the Assembly segments within a fortnight with the message of positive work and development by the Congress Government.

Speaking on the occasion, Shri Lilothia said the yatra would also highlight the massive failures of the NDA Government at the Centre and would seek to put across the message to the people of Delhi as to how the policies of the Vajpayee government had ruined the country.

He said the local Congress MLAs and Councillors would also take part in the yatra in their respective areas and corner meetings would also be organized to put across the message of development.

Youth Congress Sit-in Against TDP

HYDERABAD: Activists and leaders of the Andhra Pradesh Youth Congress suffered minor injuries when there was a scuffle between the agitated members of the Youth Congress and the police during the `chalo Assembly' rally on 22 September.

Mild commotion was witnessed more than once when the slogan-shouting Youth Congress leaders tried to force their way towards the Public Gardens, and the police prevented them by putting up a barbed wire. In the melee, a few members suffered minor bruises.

The agitated activists staged a sit-in protesting against denial of permission to move forward. A delegation of Youth Congress members led by the Asifnagar MLA, Shri D. Nagender, and the APYC president, Shri T. Venkata Rao, was allowed to go to the Asembly to submit a memorandum to the speaker, Smt. K. Pratibha Bharati.

Flagging off the rally from Gandhi Bhavan, the PCC president, Shri D. Srinivas, said that the statement made by the former Minister and TDP MLA, Shri C. Krishna Yadav, who was arrested by the Maharashtra police for his alleged involvement in the fake stamp paper scam, created ripples in the ruling TDP, which had been trying to shield others in the party by making Yadav a scapegoat. "The scandals that have surfaced in the State have made the Telugus hang their heads in shame. It appears that the State is controlled by mafia," he alleged.

Petrol, Diesel Price Rise Resented

PUNE: Congress workers staged a demonstration here on 12 September in protest against the hike in the prices of petrol and diesel by the Central government. Pradesh Youth Congress president, Shri Ranjit Deshmukh led the demonstration. Others who participated in this demonstration were Shri Suresh Kalmadi, MP, Pradesh Mahila Congress president, Ms. Rajni Patil, state minister, Shri Chandrakant Chhajed, Mayor Deepti Chaudhary and other local leaders.