NASHIK, June 18: The Congress has decided to crack the whip on workers who cold-shoulder the party's demonstration and stir programmes. The party top brass, shocked by the debacle of the State-wide procession taken on May 20, has decided to monitor the attendance of workers and local leaders during its June 20 agitation against the Manohar Joshi Government. For this, observers would be appointed at the block level, it was announced at a meeting of local leaders of the party. District Congress chief Gopalrao Gulve even announced the names of observers for the 13 blocks in Nashik district.The stir on May 20 and the proposed `jail bharo' on June 20 were declared by the Maharashtra Pradesh Congress Committee during its Nashik convention held on May 5 and 6.
Announcing the agitation programme, senior Congress leader Sharad Pawar had told party workers and leaders that their absence during the agitations would be taken note of.
Besides, there was a strong wave of resentment against `armchair' leadership atthe convention, with Pawar supporters emphatically stating that leaders should "come out" on the streets to regain power in the State.
The Congress has undertaken a series of agitations to protest against the policies of the Joshi Government and its "failure" on various fronts. One of the major issues is the `anti-farmer' policy of the Government, which is believed to have resulted in the suicides by farmers in the Marathwada and Vidarbha regions of the State.
Copyright © 1998 Indian Express Newspapers (Bombay) Ltd.
Copyright © 1998 Indian Express Newspapers (Bombay) Ltd.
