Protest outside Kapil Sibal’s house ‘hooliganism’, say G-23 leaders
Tribune News Service
New Delhi, September 30
Several Congress leaders of the “Group of 23”, which had last year written to party chief Sonia Gandhi demanding an organisational overhaul, today condemned the attack on their colleague Kapil Sibal’s house and termed it “orchestrated hooliganism”.
Former minister P Chidambaram, who is not part of the G-23, also condemned the attack. “Feel helpless when we cannot start meaningful conversations within party forums. I also feel hurt and helpless when I see pictures of Congress workers raising slogans outside the residence of a colleague and MP. The safe harbour to which one can withdraw seems to be silence,” he said.
Former Haryana CM Bhupinder Singh Hooda termed the attack by a section of Congress workers “orchestrated hooliganism”.
“Orchestrated hooliganism at the house of Kapil Sibal last night is not the culture of the Congress. If one has a difference of opinion, it should be brought up and discussed at the party forum,” he said.
Another former minister Anand Sharma urged the party chief to identify and discipline the miscreants.
Former minister Manish Tewari and Congress leader Raj Babbar also condemned the attack.
Sibal had yesterday said there was no president in the Congress at the moment and no one knew who was taking the decisions. Several Congress leaders countered Sibal by saying, “Sonia Gandhi is the Congress president and she is taking all decisions.”