New Delhi: Amid ongoing farm protests, when several Opposition leaders are making a beeline to show their solidarity with farmers, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi has gone out of the country on a personal visit, the party said on Sunday. He will also miss the party’s 136th Foundation Day programme on 28 December.
“Rahul Gandhi is currently travelling on a short personal trip,” Congress general secretary and communication in-charge Randeep Surjewala told ANI on Sunday.
According to top party sources, Rahul Gandhi left the country on Sunday morning and will be away for few days.
He is travelling amid the ongoing farmers’ agitation against new agricultural laws. Rahul Gandhi led a delegation which met President Ram Nath Kovind on 17 December and submitted the memorandum along with a purported 2 crore signatures of the farmers against the recently enacted laws.
The Congress MP also did not attend the meeting of Kerala Pradesh Congress Committee (PCC) leaders to review the party’s performance in the local body elections. The state in-charge Tariq Anwar who is on a tour of Kerala is taking review meeting on the issue.
The All India Congress Committee (AICC) has asked all its state units to observe the party’s foundation day on 28 December through various campaigns including organising ‘Tiranga Yatras’ and running a social media campaign ‘Selfie with Tiranga’.
“December 28 marks the 136th year of the foundation of Indian National Congress (INC). On this day, the PCCs are requested to observe the party foundation day in state and district headquarters and instruct office-bearers, MPs, MLAs/MLCs to participate in the functions,” the AICC said in a press release.