Key Congress Leader Berates Party for Going Forward With 'Eyes Wide Shut' as Women's Wing Head Exits

India's grand old party Congress has seen the exit of several prominent leaders in recent times. The exodus of key leaders comes as a major jolt at a time when its former president, Rahul Gandhi, is trying to unite other opposition parties to take on the Prime Minister Narendra Modi-led federal government ahead of parliamentary elections.

Kapil Sibal, a key leader from India's main opposition party Congress, on Monday criticised his own party for failing to pay attention to what is happening within the organisation. His reaction came after Sushmita Dev, the president of the organisation's women's wing, resigned.

Sibal, a former federal minister, noted lawyer and parliamentarian, said the party is "moving on with eyes wide shut".

— Kapil Sibal (@KapilSibal) August 16, 2021

​Sushmita Dev is the daughter of seven-time parliamentarian and Assam unit stalwart Santosh Mohan Dev. She was considered the face of the party in Assam, a state in northeastern India.

On Sunday, she wrote to Congress President Sonia Gandhi saying that she wished to "begin a new chapter in her life of public service" and would always cherish "her three-decades-long association with the Indian National Congress".

She also left the party's WhatsApp group and changed her Twitter bio to the former leader of the grand old party.

Apart from Sibal, another prominent leader Manish Tewari also expressed displeasure over the Dev's resignation.

— Manish Tewari (@ManishTewari) August 16, 2021

​Ripun Bora, a Congress politician from the state of Assam while talking to the media about Sushmita Dev's resignation, described her as a dedicated Congress leader.

Bora said he never thought Sushmita Dev would take such a decision. "We were like family. If she had anything against the party, she should have discussed it. I request her to reconsider her decision & withdraw [her] resignation".

Social media also abounded with reactions soon after the news about Dev's resignation broke.

— 🚩🇮🇳Sathyanarayan🇮🇳🚩 (@sathyanarayancv) August 16, 2021

— John Ashok (@Johnvarada) August 16, 2021

— Prantik Chakraborty (@Prantik_saying) August 16, 2021

— Mohinder Pal Setia (@mohindersetia) August 16, 2021

​A Twitter user earlier in the day mocked the Congress Party's efforts to work with other opposition parties as Sushmita Dev's resignation comes amid speculations that she may join the state of West Bengal's ruling party, Trinamool Congress (TMC). Congress is warming up to the same TMC to unite opposition parties.

"The Trinamool Congress marked the celebrations of 'Khela Hobe' (Game On) day by playing a game with its 'ally' Congress. Former Congress lawmaker Sushmita Dev has left Congress to join TMC. Will the 'poaching' of members among the allies help in uniting them?"

— Akhilesh Sharma (@akhileshsharma1) August 16, 2021

​One user event went so far as to call Sushmita a traitor.

— Murtuza S Arsiwala✋ (@arsiwalamurtuza) August 16, 2021

— Sona G (@sona_520) August 16, 2021

Congress' official spokesperson has denied that the party has officially received Sushmita Dev's resignation.​

Yet, Sushmita Dev's joining the TMC was later confirmed.

— All India Trinamool Congress (@AITCofficial) August 16, 2021

​Sushmita hit the headlines over her stance on the Citizenship (Amendment) Act 2019 (CAA), which differed from the Congress Party's official line. She had backed the CAA, citing that people in the Barak Valley (Assam) were in favour.

She also sparked a row by refusing to wear the "no CAA" gamosa (an indigenous fabric worn by local Assamese). The Congress politician said that people in the region had seen the partition victims' struggle and CAA would ensure citizenship of India to Bangladeshi Hindus.

The contentious CAA aims to fast-track citizenship for six minority communities - Hindus, Parsis, Sikhs, Buddhists, Jains, and Christians - who arrived in India on or before 31 December 2014, from Muslim-majority Afghanistan, Bangladesh, and Pakistan.