Gandhians 'krantikari' but not 'bandukdhari', says Tushar Gandhi on Fadnavis' 'urban Naxal' charge

Nagpur, Sep 1 (PTI) Tushar Gandhi, the great grandson of Mahatma Gandhi, on Monday refuted Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis' allegations that "urban Naxals" had entered Gandhian institutions in Wardha.

Addressing a press conference, he said Gandhians are definitely "krantikari" but they were "deshbhakt krantikaris" (patriotic revolutionaries).

"Revolutionaries are those who wake up the people in power from sleep. So, it is natural that since he is in power he will be afraid. The ideology which is followed by Fadnavis has always been afraid of Gandhian ideology. I want to tell THE chief minister that we are 'krantikari' but not 'bandukdhari' and he should not be scared," he said.

Gandhi said civil society members will embark on 'Samvidhan Satyagraha Padyatra' from Deekshabhoomi in Nagpur to Sevagram Ashram in Wardha between September 29 and October 2, while a public meeting will be held in Samvidhan Suare here on September 28.

The 'Samvidhan Satyagraha padyatra' on October 2 is significant this year as Dussehra will also be celebrated on the same day, Gandhi said.

The Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) will be marking its foundation day and holding centenary year celebrations as well on October 2, he pointed out.

The yatra will reiterate that the voices of Mahatma Gandhi and the Constitution are alive in the country, he added.

'The yatra will be against the politics of hatred. We will walk with the message of unity and peace. Representatives of the INDI bloc, leaders of farm unions, those from areas like Manipur and Kashmir will take part," he said.

Padyatra coordinator Sandesh Singalkar said NCP (SP) chief Sharad Pawar and Maharashtra Congress president Harshwardhan Sapkal will take part in a programme at Sewagram in Wardha on October 2. Congress leader Rahul Gandhi has also been invited, he added.

Asked about allegations of voter list irregularities, Gandhi said the Election Commission had lost its credibility, adding that transparency is the apex poll body's foremost responsibility.

"The way some laws were introduced hurriedly so that the election booth CCTV footage does not reach the public shows that the ruling party wants to hide something and the EC has colluded with it," Gandhi claimed.

He also said he had visited poll-bound Bihar and saw people's desire for change in governance, adding that "vote theft" would be a major issue. PTI CLS BNM