IYC denies report claiming Rahul concerned over veterans' stand on his resignation

Terming it as "fake news", Indian Youth Congress (IYC) on Saturday denied certain media reports which claimed Congress president Rahul Gandhi had expressed his concern to the youth delegation of the party about none of the senior leaders offered to resign after his announcement to step down from the top post by taking the moral responsibility for the dismal show in the Lok Sabha polls.

"Indian Youth Congress condemns fake news about Rahul Gandhi expressing his concern to Youth Congress leaders about nobody from the party taking moral responsibility for the party's below-par performance in the Lok Sabha elections," a press release by the IYC said on Saturday.

The statement was signed by its national media in-charge Amrish Ranjan Pandey.

The IYC "specifically and categorically" denied the media report which claimed that Gandhi and party's youth leaders had any conversation over the matter.

"Over the last few days, a piece of fake news is being circulated in the media about Rahul Gandhi expressing his concern to youth Congress leaders about nobody from the party coming forward to take responsibility for the party's below-par performance in the Lok Sabha elections," said the statement.

"IYC specifically and categorically deny the happening of any such conversation which is alleged to have occurred between Rahul Gandhi and its leaders," the statement added.

It also maintained that the IYC stands "fully and firmly" with the Congress party and its leadership.

"Indian Youth Congress stands fully and firmly with the party and its leadership and under the able guidance of its central leadership it will continue its fight to protect the idea of India and democracy," the IYC said.

Claiming that such media reports are "fictitious and a part of "false propaganda," the IYC said: "These stories are nothing but fictitious and as a part of false propaganda, being spread with the sole motive of lowering down the morale of its workers before the upcoming Assembly elections."

The IYC statement comes amidst scores of Congress leaders and office bearers resigning from their respective posts following Rahul's offer to resign as the party chief in the wake of the Congress' debacle in the Lok Sabha elections.

Many office bearers tendered a mass resignation during a meeting conducted in the Congress office and set an example for the senior members of the party to follow the suit of taking the moral responsibility for the party's dismal show.

Gandhi, who became the party president in 2017, offered to step down from his post at the Congress Working Committee (CWC) meeting on May 25, taking the moral responsibility for the Congress' abysmal performance in the 17th General Elections.