NEW DELHI: It was billed as a day-long nationwide fast by the Congress to promote communal harmony and protest atrocities against Dalits. But about three hours before the start of the fast in the Capital, leaders of the Delhi party unit, including Delhi Pradesh Congress Committee chief Ajay Maken, were caught on camera having a heavy-duty breakfast of chhole bhature, embarrassing AICC managers.
The token fast from 11 am to 4 pm was organised by the state unit at Raj Ghat, where party chief Rahul Gandhi was to join in the afternoon.
As the picture of Maken with senior leaders Arvinder Singh Lovely and Harun Yusuf tucking into chhole bhature at an old Delhi restaurant went viral, Maken wondered what the fuss was all about.
“Aren’t we allowed to eat before 11 am,” he asked. Lovely, who recently returned to the Congress after spending some time with the BJP, first denied it was the day’s picture, but later acknowledged it.
The BJP feasted in the Congress unease, saying it should apologise for insulting Dalits.
“Symbolic fast…just like all the words of praise you sing for Dr. Ambedkar. Nothing concrete or substantive! The actions of the Congress Party today are an insult to the pride and dignity of the entire Dalit community. They owe an apology to the nation,” Union Minister for Social Justice Thavarchand Gehlot tweeted.BJP’s Sambit Patra said: “The Congress fell for its own trap. Congress president Rahul Gandhi has enacted a fast of farce.”
Political back & forth