Lucknow: The Congress commemorated Sitaram Kesri—who was controversially ousted in 1998 from the put up of celebration president to make means for Sonia Gandhi—for the primary time since his loss of life 25 years in the past. Rahul Gandhi led the memorial on the celebration headquarters Friday, providing floral tributes on the anniversary of Kesri’s passing.

Sitaram Kesri, who served as Congress chief from 1996 to 1998, was eliminated, citing a string of electoral defeats and weak management, whilst Sonia Gandhi, who changed him, had campaigned for the celebration within the 1998 normal election. After Kesri’s loss of life on 24 October 2000, a Congress delegation had attended his cremation in Danapur. However, formally, the celebration had not noticed his beginning or loss of life anniversaries, to this point, reportedly resulting from his uneasy relationship with the Congress management.

On the identical day, Prime Minister Narendra Modi at a rally in Begusarai accused the Gandhi household of getting “insulted” Kesri. On 14 March 1998, Kesri was reportedly locked in a toilet whereas Congress leaders held a working committee assembly, after which they changed him with Sonia Gandhi.

“Immediately is the loss of life anniversary of former Congress President Sitaram Kesri. The nation will always remember how this Congress household insulted him. This present day reminds us of the lengths the Congress will go to remove the rights of Dalits and backward courses. For them, solely their very own household issues,” PM Modi stated.

“Sitaram Kesri was the delight of Bihar. This household locked him within the toilet of his dwelling and even threw him on the footpath. They snatched the put up of Congress President from him,” he added.

With the Bihar elections across the nook, many are discovering the timing of the Congress’s gesture suspicious.

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Kesri’s memorial

ThePrint has learnt that Rahul Gandhi—after paying floral tribute on the celebration HQ—invited Sitaram Kesri’s household to his residence and directed Ok.C. Venugopal to keep up common contact with them.

A senior chief on the occasion later informed ThePrint, “Kesri’s grandson, Rakesh Kesri, wrote to Mallikarjun Kharge, Sonia Gandhi, and Rahul Gandhi, requesting a programme on the AICC headquarters on the event [Kesri’s death anniversary]. Inside just a few days, Rakesh Kesri acquired a name from Kharge ji’s workplace, confirming that the occasion can be within the presence of Rahul ji.”

However, BJP spokesperson Shehzad Poonawalla informed ThePrint that Congress remembering Sitaram Kesri now was about nothing however assuaging Bihar’s OBC and Dalit voters, on condition that Kesri was a outstanding OBC chief from Danapur. Different critics additionally agreed with him.

Dismissing such claims, Congress MP Imran Masood informed ThePrint that the celebration’s gesture was about displaying respect to its former chief and had nothing to do with the upcoming Bihar elections. He described it as a constructive initiative by the highest management.

Sitaram Kesri’s removing as celebration chief on 14 March 1998 at a controversial CWC assembly, reportedly led by leaders such because the late Pranab Mukherjee, was adopted by an unsightly episode. Some celebration employees allegedly shouted at Kesri and tried to tug off his dhoti and injury his automotive earlier than he may return dwelling.

Political observers now view the Congress’s renewed curiosity in Kesri as a calculated effort to reclaim the legacy of a Bihar-born chief, who championed social justice, forward of the Bihar polls.

In his ebook, ‘24 Akbar Highway—A Brief Historical past of the Folks Behind the Fall and Rise of the Congress’, Rasheed Kidwai wrote, “Kesri died a disturbed and disillusioned man. He couldn’t reconcile himself to his unceremonious ouster. There was a lot that he wished to say, however he suffered an bronchial asthma assault after which slipped right into a coma. Kesri’s finish got here on 24 October 2000. He was eighty-one. His trustworthy canine Ruchi died the identical night.”

(Edited by Madhurita Goswami)

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