U'khand tragedy: Congress dismisses queries on Rahul's absence

Congress today sought to dismiss questions about Rahul Gandhi's absence from the country as well as his silence at a time when heavy rains have wrecked havoc in Uttarakhand.

"Some political parties are raising this question. In our party, there is a fixed responsibility on each office bearer...

"The in-charges of states look after the regions under their charge. The Congress president is herself monitoring the entire relief work in Uttarakhand, and no one should take pains to ask who is doing what," party spokesman Raj Babbar said.

He said this in response to questions on where was Rahul at the time of calamity and why the Congress vice-president has not even issued a statement.

On Narendra Modi's visit to flood-hit Uttarakhand, Babbar said the Congress chief ministers were in the vanguard for the relief and rescue effort, and the Haryana Chief Minister has sent three rescue teams.

To questions about declaring the tragedy as a national calamity, he said the party and the government have been seriously involved in the relief work and everything would be done as per the yardsticks.