Chennai, September 10: Congress general secretary Rahul Gandhi on Thursday dismissed all speculation of a rift between his party and the DMK-led by M Karunanidhi, by maintaining that ties between the two sides are very strong.
The young Congress leader also played down all resentment of not meeting M Karunannidhi, by expressing his deep regards for the DMK chief.
“There’s nothing to read out into my not meeting Mr Karunanidhi. I am a big admirer of the Tamil Nadu leader and have great respect for him,” he said.
Addressing a press conference here, the AICC general secretary said, ”DMK remains Congress’ key ally both at the centre as well in the state.”
Wrapping up his three-day whirlwind tour of Tamil Nadu, Rahul Gandhi said, “My focus is to strengthen the party by inviting more and more youths to the Congress fold.”
While praising the youth Congress workers of Tamil Nadu, Rahul said that it’s was his duty to build up the youth Congress, which is why he was here. The youth wing should contribute more and reach people in the state, he added.
Replying to a question over the plight of Tamils living in Sri Lanka, he maintained that those living inn the Island nation must be treated well.
“The Congress strongly feels that the rights of Sri Lankan Tamils are very important and should be protected”, he told a press conference here.
Denying the charge by some parties that the government was a “mute spectator” on the issue, he said the Centre had sent two top functionaries – Pranab Mukherjee, when he was External Affairs Minister, and National Security Adviser M K Narayanan to Colombo to talk to Sri Lankan President Mahinda Rajapakse. Mukherjee was the senior-most minister next only to the Prime Minister, Gandhi said.
“My party always had taken utmost care of the issue. We will do anything for the Sri Lankan Tamils,” he said.
“It is absolutely wrong that government is not doing anything. Government is applying tremendous pressure on the Sri Lankan government,” he added.
Hitting hard at the Left parties, the Congress leader said that their politics is for strangling India and not for development of the country. Whereas Congress stands for development, reforms and thus schemes like NREGA, UID, Education policies and better health policies have been introduced.
With the Congress deciding to hold organisational elections in its youth wing in the state soon, the visit of Gandhi, 38, is expected to give much thrust to the youth membership drive that is on now in Tamil Nadu.
–Agencies