Manas Dasgupta
NEW DELHI, Feb 25: Riding on the good response the Congress party’s recently held “Bharat Jodo Yatra” led by the former president Rahul Gandhi received on the way it passed through the states and the union territories, the party is learnt to be preparing a “vision document 2024” to ensure electoral success in the coming Lok Sabha elections.
The party sources at the current 85th plenary session of the Congress being held at Raipur, the state capital of the Congress-ruled Chhattisgarh, the Congress vision document would encompass issues of unemployment, eradication of poverty, inflation, women empowerment, job creation, and national security.
“Congress must reverse the current regressive path of growth. Our growth mantra must have a human touch, creating livelihoods and employment opportunities,” said a Congress source.
“The judiciary is constantly threatened by direct and indirect measures which create apprehensions in their mind. Unfortunately, the Law Minister himself is leading the blatant attack on the judiciary. Congress promises that the independence and integrity of the judiciary will be maintained and protected at all costs,” added the source. The plenary session began on Friday.
Addressing the plenary session on the second day on Saturday, the former president Sonia Gandhi launched a blistering attack on the BJP and the party government at the Centre for “fuelling the fire of hatred by viciously targeting women, Dalits, and tribals.”
She said the Congress must tackle the BJP regime with vigour and reach out to people and convey the party’s message with clarity. “This is a challenging time for Congress and the country as a whole. BJP-RSS has captured and subverted every single institution in the country. It has caused economic ruin by favouring a few businessmen,” Ms. Gandhi said, making a veiled reference businessman Gautam Adani.
The former Congress chief also alleged that the government’s actions show contempt for the values enshrined in the Constitution. Congress is not just a political party, Ms. Gandhi said, but it reflects the voices of people of all religions, castes and genders. She asserted that the party will fulfil the dreams of all of them.
Addressing the plenary session, the party president Mallikarjun Kharge said, “We will face all challenges in the country. Bharat Jodo Yatra was like sunshine for the nation. Thousands joined hands with Rahul Gandhi and proved that Congress is still in their hearts. Rahul inspired youth.” “To stop this Plenary Session, BJP conducted a raid on party workers’ residents. They arrested our workers. But we faced them and held this session,” added the Congress chief.
Earlier on Saturday, Congress general secretary Priyanka Gandhi arrived in Raipur to attend the 85th plenary session of the party. Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel received Priyanka Gandhi at the airport.
Congress workers laid flower petals on the street to welcome her and other leaders coming to attend the plenary session. The plenary will also discuss resolutions including political and economic ones. Former party chief Rahul Gandhi will address the plenary on the concluding day on Sunday.
The Steering Committee of Congress met on Friday morning and decided to go for nomination members to Congress Working Committee (CWC) in view of the challenges faced by the party and the proposed amendments to the party’s constitution. There was some speculation that Congress may opt for elections to CWC, a demand that has been raised from time to time by sections in the party. CWC is the highest-decision-making body of Congress.
Congress leader Jairam Ramesh said 16 articles and 32 rules are proposed to be amended and an important amendment was to provide 50 per cent reservation in the working committee for SCs, STs, OBCs, minorities and youth below the age of 50.
The party is likely to amend the constitution to confer party leaders who have been Prime Ministers and party chiefs permanence in the CWC. Notably, Rahul Gandhi-led Bharat Jodo Yatra traversed 12 states and two Union territories in 145 days after its launch on September 7 last year and covered 4,080 km. The yatra culminated with an event at the Congress headquarters in Srinagar and a mega rally on January 30.
Mrs Sonia Gandhi’s reported hint that she was preparing to retire from politics after the Bharat Jodo Yatra was discounted by the party. Speculation was rife after Mrs Gandhi during her address said, “Our victories in 2004 and 2009 along with the able leadership of Dr. Manmohan Singh gave me personal satisfaction but what gratifies me most is that my innings could conclude with the Bharat Jodo Yatra, a turning point for Congress.” Ms. Gandhi said.
At a press conference later, Congress’s communications head Jairam Ramesh parried questions when asked whether Gandhi’s remarks meant she was retiring from politics. But, senior Congress leader and AICC general secretary Kumari Selja said Gandhi did not mean to say she was retiring from politics and spoke in the context of her tenure at the helm of the party. Gandhi was the party president when the Yatra started from Tamil Nadu on September 7. Elections for the post of Congress president were held in October and Mallikarjun Kharge formally took charge on October 25.
The BJP later slammed Sonia Gandhi for her charge that its government has captured every institution, saying it is an assault on the autonomy and institutional respect of these bodies.
BJP leader and former Union minister Ravi Shankar Prasad said the former Congress president’s speech at her party’s plenary session in Raipur reeked of desperation and lacked the realisation as to why the opposition party’s appeal has become so limited.
If the people of the country don’t vote for the Congress, then why she should blame the Election Commission, he said, adding that Mrs Gandhi and her party are unwilling to recognise the “stark fact” that under Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s leadership all sections of society, be it Scheduled Castes, Scheduled Tribes, women or the middle class, have received the fruits of development.
It happened because of honest governance and delivery, Mr Prasad said.
Echoing his views, BJP chief spokesperson Anil Baluni said the Congress conclave symbolises its despair, negativity and ill-will. The Congress has become the country’s “dark spot” while India has become the world’s “bright spot” under Modi’s leadership, he said. Repeated rejections by people have taken the opposition party to the depth of despair, he added.
