Rahul Gandhi's style of leadership was proven after 26/11: Minister Milind Deora
Reported by Sunetra Choudhury, Edited by Janaki Fernandes | Updated: April 23, 2013 17:26 IST
New Delhi: During and after 26/11, Rahul Gandhi took an active role in the efforts of the government to contain the fallout of one of India's worst-ever terror attacks, said Milind Deora, junior minister for Communication and Information Technology, to NDTV today.
Mr Deora, who is counted among Mr Gandhi's "youth brigade", said that many of Mr Gandhi was a driving force for the creation of the National Investigation Agency or NIA, set up after the Mumbai attacks to coordinate intelligence alerts and counter terror strikes.
"This was the first time that urban India woke up to demanding more accountability from the political class," Mr Deora said. " I saw someone like him (Mr Gandhi) working behind-the- scenes to give political support to those in power to say go out and do the right thing," Mr Deora said.
166 people were killed during the 72-hour siege of Mumbai by 10 Pakistani terrorists in 2008.
"I saw him personally meeting people in the Home Ministry, top brass , even talking to me who is an MP in the local area, talking to then Chief Minister, trying to get things moving, trying to give in his way political support to those who are in power," Mr Deora recalled.
Responding to allegations that Mr Gandhi has been MIA during recent defining moments in India, like the massive street protests that followed the Delhi gang-rape in December, the minister said the Congress leader's critics misread his style of leadership. "I think there is a range of style of functioning for all politicians. Some prefer to do it silently, some prefer to thump their chest and say 'I am doing this, I am great and deserve much more credit than it is due.'"
http://www.ndtv.com/article/india/rahul-gandhi-s-style-of-leadership-was-proven-after-26-11-minister-milind-deora-357899?pfrom=home-lateststories
Rahul in party mood soon after Mumbai crisis
MAIL TODAY BUREAU | New Delhi, December 1, 2008 | 11:02
Even before the tears of Major Sandeep Unnikrishnan’s mother could dry up, Congress general secretary and heir apparent Rahul Gandhi went partying with his pals at a farmhouse on Delhi’s outskirts.
The Prince partied hard, till 5 in the morning, on Sunday at the ‘sangeet’ for the forthcoming wedding of Samir Sharma, his childhood friend. They were at a sprawling farmhouse at Radhey Mohan Chowk, the haven of people who lead charmed lives beyond Chhatarpur.
Just a day earlier, his sister Priyanka Vadra had caused a flutter by saying the late Indira Gandhi would have “made us very proud” by the way she would have reacted to the Mumbai terror strikes. Mumbai appeared to be far from her brother’s mind as he boogied at the farmhouse with Samir Sharma, US-based furniture designer son of Captain Satish Sharma, the late Rajiv Gandhi’s flying partner who nursed the First Family’s pocketborough, Rae Bareli, till Sonia Gandhi chose to contest from there in 2004.
The Prince seemed to be completely out of sync with the mood of the nation post-26/11. Since Wednesday night, officials have been cancelling parties they were meant to host and even restaurants called off special events.
Saturday night’s ‘sangeet’ was a lavish affair. It was hosted by Leena Musafir, sister of the woman with whom Samir is getting married, and her husband Inder. The party was attended by over 800 guests, including regulars at Page 3 dos. “When everyone is cancelling parties or just keeping them low-key, Rahul Gandhi had no business to be celebrating. His action makes us lose faith in future leaders,” said Ajay Bahl, a leading corporate lawyer who was trapped in the thick of the action on 26/11 at The Oberoi, Mumbai, but managed to escape with the help of the hotel staff.
The Gandhis, including Sonia Gandhi’s mother Paola Maino, were present in strength at the 2004 wedding of Samir’s sister, Sarika, who is married to actorturned- TV producer Rahul Bhatt. Sarika and Rahul now manage a television production house.
The two families may be very close — Captain Sharma and his wife, Sterre, were present throughout the very private wedding of Priyanka Gandhi and Robert Vadra — but the circumstances now are very different.
As a guest at the ‘sangeet’ remarked on the condition of anonymity, “We were all partying, but none of us is a public person. Rahul Gandhi, however, is. He must be more responsible in his social appearances.
http://indiatoday.intoday.in/story/Rahul+in+party+mood+soon+after+Mumbai+crisis/1/21442.html