“Goons Get Preference In Congress”: Priyanka Chaturvedi

Congress national spokesperson Priyanka Chaturvedi Wednesday said that the Uttar Pradesh party unit had reinstated eight party workers who were suspended last year for allegedly misbehaving with her at a meeting in Mathura.

“Deeply saddened that lumpen goons get preference in @incindia over those who have given their sweat & blood. Having faced brickbats & abuse across board for the party but yet those who threatened me within the party getting away with not even a rap on their knuckles is unfortunate,” tweeted Chaturvedi, the Congress’s communications department convener.

The letter, ordering the reinstatement, was issued by former MLA Fazale Masood, a member of the UP Congress disciplinary committee.

Mathura district Congress president Sohan Singh Scindia said: “The incident relates to September 1, 2018, where Priyanka Chaturvedi had come to Mathura for a press conference after which she met a group of leaders, during which she had alleged that some leaders had misbehaved. After her complaint, these leaders were suspended.”

The UP Congress said the eight, including a state general secretary and a former Assembly candidate, were reinstated “on the recommendation of Congress general secretary Jyotiraditya Scindia” after they expressed regret and promised not to repeat the act in the future.

Rajiv Bakshi, UPCC media coordinator said, “These leaders were earlier suspended because of their certain misconduct but later because of some lack of communication, the committee reinstated them. The whole issue and the decision is being reviewed and there would be a proper action taken against those who misbehaved with Priyanka Chaturvedi ji.”

The eight leaders are Ashok Singh Chakleshwar, working president, district Congress committee also member AICC; Umesh Pandit, general secretary, UP; Pratap Singh, a former candidate of the Chata Assembly in Mathura; Abdulla Jabbar, party vice president, Mathura.

The list also includes leader Giridhari Lal Pathak, Bhuri Singh Jayas, who is former district president of the Sewa Dal, Praveen Thakur, district president of the Mathura NSUI and Yatendra Mukdam, district Youth Congress president.