By IANS,
New Delhi: Unlike in previous years, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi’s birthday Sunday, his 41st, was a low key affair as the young leader wanted it to be dedicated to the cause of farmers in Uttar Pradesh, a party leader said.
All India Congress Committee (AICC) secretary Dalbir Singh told IANS: “Rahulji has clearly informed that there should be no birthday celebrations in any form in Delhi, so we kept the celebrations a low-key affair.”
According to party sources, Gandhi instructed party workers not to gift him bouquets or flowers.
But despite being instructed, a few party workers distributed sweets outside the Congress office.
“We neither cut a cake nor distributed sweets on our youth leader’s birthday but the Delhi Indian Youth Congress (IYC) workers tried to mingle with farmers,” said Anil Kumar, a member of IYC, Delhi
While party workers in Uttar Pradesh observed Gandhi’s birthday as Kisan Adhikar Diwas (Farmers’ Rights Day), many IYC leaders from Delhi visited Uttar Pradesh.
“Like Rahul Gandhi, we will also fight for the cause of farmers and get their problems redressed. Some of our members are there in Uttar Pradesh,” Anil Kumar added.
Barely a month ago, Gandhi sneaked into Bhatta-Parsaul village in Greater Noida and staged a protest following which he was arrested.
The police-farmer clash in the village May 7 left four farmers, protesting against land takeover, and two policemen dead.