Congress goofs up on anniversary

Mumbai Congress president Sanjay Nirupam yesterday apologised for the criticism of India’s first prime minister Jawaharlal Nehru and party president Sonia Gandhi in the party’s in-house publication Congress Darshan.
“Some words used in some articles of Congress Darshan are certainly objectionable. I accept my mistake,” Nirupam said.
A former senior journalist and the editor-in-chief of the publication, Nirupam also promised to take action against people in the editorial panel who are responsible for the mistakes.
Among other things, the article in Congress Darshan has commented on the manner in which the Kashmir situation was handled by Nehru, on Sonia Gandhi’s father and marriage and some of her political strategies in the past few years. Ironically, the suspected goof-up came as the Indian National Congress, founded on December 28, 1885, celebrated its 130th anniversary yesterday.
To mark the anniversary Gandhi hoisted the party flag at the party headquarters in New Delhi.
Senior party leaders including vice-president Rahul Gandhi, former prime minister Manmohan Singh, Sheila Dikshit and spokespman Manish Tewari were present on the occasion at the party office at 24, Akbar Road.
The Congress held its first session on December 28, 1885 in Mumbai. It was attended by 72 delegates.
The state units of the Congress also celebrated the day with a series of events during which tributes were paid to Mahatma Gandhi, Nehru, Indira Gandhi and other Congress leaders.