Youth Cong to take out rally in Guj against Modi

New Delhi, Jan 2: Seeking to "expose" development claims of

's poll mascot

, Youth

will take out a 800-km-long 'Vikas Shodh Yatra' across

from January 16.

The youth wing of Congress has lined up a number of programmes to expose the "double standards" of BJP on the issue of corruption and its Prime Ministerial candidate Modi's "tall claims of development in Gujarat," IYC National President Rajiv Satav said.

Indian Youth Congress activists had yesterday staged a protest outside the residence of BJP President Rajnath Singh, attacking the opposition party on the issue of corruption, during which they were also baton-charged by Delhi police.

"18 of them are injured while one has undergone surgery," Satav said. Attacking Modi, he said, "The Gujarat Chief Minister talks about corruption, but he has taken no action against his Cabinet colleague in the state -- Babu Bhai Bokhiria -- who was convicted. He talks about morality but is himself involved in snoopgate.

'Vikas Shodh Yatra' across Gujarat will start from January 16.

"He talks about constructing an iron statue of Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel, but he never bothered to see what is the condition of the school in which Patel once studied. We will be telling people about these anomalies during the Vikas Shodh Yatra, which the Youth Congress will take up from January 16 in Gujarat," Satav said.

Shodh Yatra is to undertake a journey for the search of knowledge at the grassroots.

The politics of protests between BJP and Congress have gained momentum as they gear up for the next Lok Sabha polls and youth wings of both the parties are taking a lead role in this. BJP youth wing activists staged a protest outside Congress Vice-President Rahul Gandhi's residence on Tuesday demanding an explanation from him on charges of corruption against Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister Virbhadra Singh.

On Wednesday, Youth Congress activists held protests outside the residence of BJP chief Rajnath Singh saying there is corruption within BJP itself and the party should come clean on these charges before accusing others.

"Youth Congress condemns the poverty of ethical leadership in BJP where its Prime Ministerial candidate is shielding two corrupt ministers of his own cabinet -- Babu Bahai Bokhiria and Purushottam Solanki -- while proclaiming about probity and corruption-free governance," Satav said in a press release.

He also condemned BJP's decision to reinduct tainted former Karnataka Chief Minister B S Yeddyurappa into the party fold. "This move by BJP undercuts its lie of projecting itself as a party with a difference.

The so-called difference is indifference to corrupt individuals and their double standards when it comes to challenging graft in public life," he said.

PTI