G-23 leaders condemn protest outside Sibal’s house

New Delhi, Sep 30 (PTI):
Senior Congress leaders Ghulam Nabi Azad and Anand Sharma along with some of their G-23 colleagues on Thursday strongly condemned and termed as “orchestrated hooliganism” the Congress workers’ protest outside Kapil Sibal’s house after he raised questions over the party’s functioning, with Sharma asking AICC chief Sonia Gandhi to take strong action against those involved.
Former Punjab chief minister Amarinder Singh also criticised what he said was an “attack” at the house of Sibal by Congress workers only because he “chose to express views that were not palatable to the party leadership”. This does not augur well for the party, Singh was quoted as saying by his media advisor Raveen Thukral. Azad, former leader of Opposition in Rajya Sabha, also strongly condemned the “orchestrated hooliganism” at Sibal’s residence. “He (Sibal) is a loyal Congressman fighting for the party both inside and outside Parliament. Any suggestion from any quarter should be welcomed instead of suppressing, hooliganism is unacceptable,” tweeted Azad, who along with Sibal is part of the ‘Group of 23’ which last year had written to Gandhi seeking organisational overhaul of the party. Asserting that differences of opinion and perception are integral to a democracy, Sharma, also a part of the G-23, said intolerance and violence is alien to Congress values and culture. “Shocked and disgusted to hear the news of attack and hooliganism at Kapil Sibal’s house. This deplorable action brings disrepute to the party and needs to be strongly condemned,” Sharma said in a series of tweets. He asserted that the Congress has a history of upholding freedom of expression. Those responsible must be identified and disciplined, Sharma said. “Urging Congress president Sonia Gandhi to take cognisance and strong action,” he said in a tweet.