On the 89th anniversary of the Dandi March, the Congress Working Committee (CWC) on Tuesday resolved to start the nation’s “second freedom struggle”, rescue it from the BJP regime and put it back on the rails on the “idea of India” that enshrines love, harmony and patriotism.
Briefing the media after the meeting at Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel Memorial here, senior leader and party spokesperson Anand Sharma charged the Narendra Modi government with relentless “assaults” on India’s institutions and people’s rights.
The Congress President Rahul Gandhi said: “Attempts were being made by the Modi regime to create an idea of India different from what Mahatma Gandhi perceived. We believe in multiculturalism, pluralism and diversity, where the rights of all are protected.”
He said while the Congress has always been against any assault on India’s security, the nation’s political discourse has been “soured” by Modi, who played with popular emotions for polarising votes. “We condemn such attempts. Modi would better not question the people’s wisdom and refrain from questioning his opponents’ patriotism. He has been trying to divert people’s attention from real issues such as unemployment, poverty and farmers’ distress.”
The CWC also sent out a “stern message” to India’s enemies that the nation stands united and resolute to confront and defeat BJP’s nefarious agenda.
On economy’s health
“This government has been a failure on all fronts and has inflicted pain and misery on the people through demonetisation and the hasty imposition of a flawed GST. This disrupted the Indian economy, trade and industry. Lakhs of factories were closed, unorganised sector, micro, small and medium enterprises were worst affected and millions of workers lost their livelihood, the party said.
“The Modi government is guilty of monumental mismanagement of the Indian economy,” it added.
An atmosphere of fear and insecurity is all pervasive, the CWC resolution said, adding “there are deliberate attacks on the Constitutional and other safeguards for the scheduled castes, scheduled tribes, OBCs and minorities, and there is a subversion of all institutions of governance.”
The Congress urged all democratic and progressive forces to unite and pool their energies to relentlessly fight and expose the “anti-people” policies of the BJP, its failure to deliver on the promises it made in 2014.”
It sought a mandate for better governance and accountability, to repair the “grave damage” caused to democratic polity, economy and society by the government. The CWC also endorsed the promise made by the Congress President to ensure minimum income support to the poor, weak and marginalised sections of society when it comes to power.