Cong supports Rahul on Bengal remark
Intensifying war of words with the ruling CPI(M) in poll-bound West Bengal, the Congress on Friday came whole hog in support of young leader Rahul Gandhi’s comment relating to “two Bengals”, as it said, the situation in rural Bengal was “pathetic” and could easily be verified by travelling in the country side of the state.
Claiming that the ruling party of West Bengal was just juggling with the figures, while quoting the NSSO findings, the party said, the rural Bengal suffered the most during the long Left Front rule in the state.
When asked to comment on the CPI(M) reaction to Mr Gandhi’s statement, AICC spokesperson Shakeel Ahmed said, “It is a fact that rural Bengal is deprived of basic amenities. If you travel in these areas, you will see how backward they are. This has happened during the long rule of the Left in the state.”
Mr Gandhi during his rally in West Bengal had described Purulia as one of the most backward parts of the country and said there exist two Bengals — one for the rich and another for the poor.
The CPI(M) reacted sharply to the statement with an editorial in the CPI(M) mouthpiece People’s Democracy saying, “some parts of West Bengal like Purulia had been described as the most backward in the country.
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Cong plays down PM statement
New Delhi, Sept. 10: Congress on Friday played down Prime Minister Manmohan Singh’s statement that his government was more cohesive than that of Jawaharlal Nehru saying he did not mean to say that any government was bad.
“These are all Congress governments. In their time, all these governments worked well. It is not correct to say this government is good or that government is bad. Prime Minister did not mean to say that any government was bad,” party spokesman Shakeel Ahmed told reporters. Asked whether the party agrees with Prime Minister’s remark, Mr Ahmed said the remark would have been made in certain context and it should be seen in its totality. —PTI
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