Rahul dares Sena, boards local train in Mumbai

Slams Shiv Sena, MNS for divisive and communal politics.

Congress general secretary Rahul Gandhi today arrived in Mumbai, boarded a crowded local train and even withdrew money from an ATM, amid the Shiv Sena’s call for black flag demonstrations against him for his recent comment that Mumbai belongs to all Indians.

The 39-year-old Congress MP, who was in the city on a five-hour visit, lambasted the Shiv Sena and its offshoot, the Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS), on their own turf, accusing them of dividing people on communal and linguistic lines.

Barring stray incidents of slogan shouting and display of black flags by a section Shiv Sena activists, Gandhi interacted with about 1,100 college students at the Bhaidas Hall in north-west Mumbai.

“The Congress stands for a united India. There are two kinds of leaders in the country — one who divide and rule and the other who collaborate and take everyone along towards the objective of a united India and move forward. There are some people here who are trying to divide you on a communal and linguistic basis and the Congress is against them,” he told the gathering.

The Congress leader also exhorted youths to focus on the inclusive development of the country and refrain from divisive politics.

Although Gandhi did not name the saffron outfits, the reference to them was clear. The Sena’s call to show black flags against him turned to be a damp squib due to swift police action. Five members of the Shiv Sena, including two legislators and a corporator, were arrested as they tried to show black flags to Gandhi.

Gandhi also met youths in Ramabai Ambedkar Nagar, a dalit-dominated colony along the eastern express highway in the central suburbs.

Ramabai Ambedkar Nagar, which came into prominence after riots erupted in 1997 following the defacement of a statue of B R Ambedkar, was selected by the Congress leader to launch his campaign to regain the confidence of dalits.

Gandhi had already said that his visit to the city would be for the ‘aam aadmi’ (common man). Although helicopters had been kept ready for him, the Congress MP opted for a local train. He went to an ATM near the Andheri station to withdraw money to pay for his ticket.

Officials of both the Western Railway and Central Railway claimed ignorance of the Congress leader’s travel plans and said they were not informed by his security personnel.

Rahul Gandhi also referred to the Shiv Sena’s recent derogatory remarks about his mother and Congress president Sonia Gandhi’s Italian origin, to explain his origin. “My father was born in Mumbai and mother in Italy. My great-grandfather (India’s first prime minister Jawaharlal Nehru) was born in Allahabad, and had his origins in Jammu and Kashmir. I live in Delhi. Where should I say I belong to? I know one thing — I am an Indian and I belong to India,” he added.