Miss World contestants, accompanied by Julia Morley, chairman and CEO of the Miss world Organisation, visited the Raj Ghat, also known as the Gandhi memorial, on Monday, where they paid their respects to Mahatma Gandhi. The 71^st Miss World participants also visited the Gandhi Museum.

The 71^st Miss World will take place between February 18 and March 9 which will unfold across various venues, including the Bharat Manadapam in New Delhi. 120 contestants from countries around the world will participate in various competitions and charitable initiatives, serving as ambassadors of change.

Julia Morley, chairman and CEO of the Miss World Organisation said in a statement that her love of India is no secret and having the 71^st Miss World Festival in this country means a lot to her. She thanked Jamil Saidi for his herculean efforts to make the return of the event to India a reality. She said the Miss World Organization has assembled the best team for the 71^st edition.

The 71^st Miss World will end with a dazzling grand finale at the Jio World Convention Centre in Mumbai. India last hosted the international pageant in 1996. Manushi Chhillar was the most recent Indian to win the pageant, having bagged the crown in 2017. Previously, Reita Faria Powell, Aishwarya Rai, Diana Hayden, Yukta Mookhey, and Priyanka Chopra Jonas have also won the competition.

India is currently hosting Miss World 2024 in Delhi and Mumbai after 28 years. The competition will begin on  Februray 18, with the grand finale scheduled  on March 9, the 71^st Miss World Pageant will feature 120 contestants from 120 countries and territories, which includes India and will feature various competitions and charitable initiatives. The 21-day fashion and beauty event will feature a variety of events that will empower young women as change agents and future leaders.  

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Amid criticism over the “absence” of Congress’ top leadership from raging protests against the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA), former party president Rahul Gandhi, who had been “travelling”, has called the “students and youth of the country to join him at Raj Ghat today”.

The rally was to be held yesterday, but it had to be postponed after permission was denied for the same.

In a tweet this morning, Rahul Gandhi said “it’s critical to show that won’t allow the country be destroyed by hatred” and that it was important to “protest against the hate and unleashed on India by Modi-Shah”.

Dear Students & Youth of ??,

It’s not good enough just to feel ??. At times like these it’s critical to show that you’re ?? & won’t allow ?? to be destroyed by hatred.

Join me today at 3 PM at Raj Ghat, to protest against the hate & violence unleashed on India by Modi-Shah.

— Rahul Gandhi (@RahulGandhi) December 23, 2019

Congress president Sonia Gandhi, and party general secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra are expected to participate in the “non-violent” rally this afternoon.

While the Congress chief promised that the Congress would defend the fundamental rights of the people and uphold the foundational values of the Constitution in a video message, Priyanka Gandhi Vadra had joined protesters at India Gate at least twice last week.

ये देश एक साझा रिश्ता है, साझा ख़्वाब है। इस मिट्टी को हमने मेहनतों के रंग से सींचा है। संविधान हमारी शक्ति है।

देश को फूट डालो और राज करो की राजनीति से बचाना है। आइए आज दोपहर 3 बजे से बापू की समाधि राजघाट पर मेरे साथ संविधान पाठ का हिस्सा बनिए।

— Priyanka Gandhi Vadra (@priyankagandhi) December 23, 2019

“The party’s satyagraha will fight against this dictatorial government and to protest Baba Saheb’s sacred constitution,” Congress general secretary KC Venugopal said in a statement.

The protest will be “in line with the path of non-violence”, he said.

However, on Saturday, poll strategist and JD(U) leader Prashant Kishor had slammed the Congress for being “largely absent in the citizen’s fight against CAA-NRC”.

Congress is not on streets and its top leadership has been largely absent in the citizens’ fight against CAA-NRC

The least party could do it to make ALL Congress CMs join other CMs who have said that they will not allow NRC in their states. Or else these statements means nothing https://t.co/EWJLyc3kgR

— Prashant Kishor (@PrashantKishor) December 21, 2019

The nation has been witnessing widespread agitations against the Citizenship Act for over a week. The Act, which facilitates Indian citizenship for non-Muslims from Pakistan, Bangladesh and Afghanistan, has been described by critics as a violation of secular principles of the Constitution.

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