Rahul seeks report from Kamal Nath

Aditi Tandon

Tribune News Service

New Delhi, October 9

Congress vice-president Rahul Gandhi has asked the party’s general secretary in charge of Haryana Kamal Nath to submit a detailed report on the October 6 thrashing of Ashok Tanwar in Delhi.

Kamal Nath is expected to submit his report soon, accompanied with his recommendation whether any disciplinary action is warranted in the incident.

The allegation is that supporters of former Chief Minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda manhandled Haryana Congress President Ashok Tanwar at Bhairon temple, the location where Haryana state committee members were assembled to receive Rahul on the latter’s return from his month-long UP kisan yatra.

Tanwar’s aides have demanded strong disciplinary action in the case while MLAs loyal to Hooda, who met Nath yesterday, have denied any role of the former CM in the matter.

Rahul, it is learnt, will act on the recommendations of Kamal Nath who has now met Haryana Congress committee leaders, Hooda’s people and also CLP Leader of Haryana Kiran Choudhry.

It is pertinent to mention here that when the ruckus took place leading to Tanwar’s injuries, Kamal Nath was not present. He has, however, been shown all the proof, which, Tanwar’s friends say, has been captured on camera.

Rahul has taken a strong view of the incident that has caused acute embarrassment to the Congress with its factional war going out of hand.

The Tribune has learnt that Tanwar shifted to a private hospital yesterday following “lack of care and cooperation” from doctors at Ram Manohar Lohia hospital.

Even the FIR in the case was lodged day before yesterday after Tanwar’s supporters staged a long dharna outside Tilak Marg police station.

Tanwar personally had shared the account of the incident with Kamal Nath, who met him late on October 6 night. Chairman of the Congress’ SC cell K Raju, who is a close adviser to Rahul, also met Tanwar and his supporters, assuring them of justice in the matter.

The incident has deepened the fault lines between the Hooda and Tanwar-led factions of the Haryana Congress. It comes at a time when Hooda loyalists have been complaining to the party leadership against Tanwar’s style of functioning .

Meanwhile, INLD leaders Abhay Chautala and Ashok Arora and former minister Kumari Selja met Tanwar in hospital today.