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The history of Congress’ brainstorming sessions: A look back at the party’s earlier ‘Chintan Shivirs’

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The history of Congress’ brainstorming sessions: A look back at the party’s earlier ‘Chintan Shivirs’

Chintan Shivir, Congress’ brainstorming session, begins today in Udaipur, Rajasthan’s lake city. The three-day conclave’s main goal is to come up with a solid action plan for the party to move forward.

“At the Chintan Shivir session, the Congress will introspect, contemplate, and reflect on the way forward, as well as new milestones to be crossed,” said the party’s general secretary Randeep Surjewala.

Nearly 500 delegates will be split into 70-person groups to brainstorm on topics such as social justice and empowerment, politics, organisation, economy, farmers, and youth. They will present their reports to the Congress Working Committee (CWC) on May 15 after the session.

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Sonia Gandhi, the Congress president, will deliver the opening remarks, and Rahul Gandhi will deliver the closing remarks. However, this is not the first time such gatherings have taken place under Sonia Gandhi’s leadership. Since 1998, the party has held three more sessions.

1998, Pachmarhi

Soon after Sonia Gandhi was elected party president, the first Chintan Shivir was held in Pachmarhi, Madhya Pradesh. Congress faced similar challenges at the time.

Congress did not cede its turf to alliance parties for short-term political gain at the end of the session. The party decided that it didn’t need the alliance to win elections and that it could survive on the charisma of its leaders alone.

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Shimla, 2003

Congress realised the value of forming an alliance five years later. They chose to form a coalition of “progressive thinking men and women, institutions, and political movements who share our understanding of India’s past, current concerns, and vision for India’s future to join us in this historic endeavour.”

Congress was able to stay in power for a decade thanks to the Shivir of 2003. MGNREGA, food security, social and economic empowerment, and RTE were all part of the party’s rights-based governance model.

Jaipur, 2013

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Prior to the 2014 general elections, the party felt the need for another round of brainstorming sessions. Rahul Gandhi was formally elevated as the party’s vice-president during this session. The party’s youth wing, the National Students’ Union of India and Indian Youth Congress, attended the Shivir for the first time.

The party even devised a strategy for the 2014 general elections, but under the Modi wave, nothing really translated into electoral politics.

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World News

Who is Harun Abdul-Malik Yener? Florida man arrested over bomb threat to New York Stock Exchange

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Who is Harun Abdul-Malik Yener? Florida man arrested over bomb threat to New York Stock Exchange

FBI arrested Harun Abdul-Malik Yener for allegedly planning a bombing at the NYSE to “reset” the US government.

Harun Abdul-Malik Yener, a South Florida resident, has been arrested by the FBI for allegedly plotting to bomb the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) as part of a plan to “reset” or “reboot” the U.S. government. According to unsealed court documents, Yener faces charges of attempting to use an improvised explosive device (IED) against a “building used in interstate or foreign commerce.”

The investigation into Yener began in February when the FBI received a tip about his possession of bomb-making plans stored in a locked Coral Springs storage unit. Upon executing a search warrant, agents discovered “bomb-making sketches, numerous watches with timers, electronic circuit boards, and other electronics” that could be used to construct explosives, per the criminal complaint.

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ALSO READ| Florida man says ‘I feel like Bin Laden’ after arrested over alleged plot to bomb New York Stock Exchange

Court documents reveal that Yener was not only active on YouTube, posting videos on making explosives and fireworks, but also had a history of making threats.

Harun Abdul-Malik Yener wanted to ‘reset’ US government

Back in March, Yener admitted to undercover federal agents that he had experience in creating “rockets” and “bombs” and had previously sought to join a “domestic extremist group.” He also revealed that in 2015, he had considered travelling to Iraq to join ISIS but ultimately decided against it, doubting the group’s ability to accomplish “their objectives.”

Yener also attempted to join extremist groups such as the Boogaloo Bois and the Proud Boys but was reportedly denied membership due to his stated desire to “pursue martyrdom.”

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Yener allegedly shared his plot to attack the NYSE with an undercover FBI agent, identifying November 18 as his intended date for the bombing. He wanted to “reboot” or “reset” US government through the “bombing”.

“There is one place that would be hella easy… the stock exchange, that would be a great hit. Tons of people would support it. They would see it and think, dude, this guy makes sense, they are [profanity] robbing us. So that’s perfect,” he told the undercover agent.

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On November 12, Yener reportedly made several audio recordings he planned to send to NBC News following the attack. He expressed his vision of the explosion as being comparable to a nuclear event, saying, “I feel like Bin Laden.” He allegedly added that the detonation would ensure “[a]nything outside” the building “will be wiped out” and “anything inside there would be killed.”

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Following his arrest, Yener made his first court appearance and remains in custody as he awaits trial.

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