- Saturday, April 19, 2025
The party accused the BJP-RSS of “lying” as well as spreading “propaganda” that Patel and Jawaharlal Nehru had strained ties
By: India Weekly
EMPHASISING its claim on the legacy of Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel, the Congress vowed on Tuesday (8) to follow the principles of the country’s first home minister to defeat divisive forces.
At an extended Congress Working Committee (CWC) meeting in Ahmedabad, the party accused the BJP-RSS of “lying” as well as spreading “propaganda” that Patel and Jawaharlal Nehru had strained ties.
The party passed a resolution titled “Flag-bearer of freedom movement – Our Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel” to mark his 150th birth anniversary year.
The resolution stated that the party is determined to emulate the resoluteness of the ‘Iron Man of India’ in fighting religious polarisation, which was pushing the country “into an abyss of hatred.”
Congress is determined to follow Patel’s life principles to defeat the divisive forces and expose the fake news factory run by these elements, it said.
After the meeting, Congress general secretary Jairam Ramesh said a ‘web of lies’ was being propagated to show that Patel and Nehru were not on good terms.
“There was a unique ‘jugalbandi. ‘ They were builders of modern India who fought for the independence of the country and laid the foundations of modern India.
“Those who say Nehru and Patel had strained ties are lying, speaking untruths and misleading people,” he said.
“The truth is that in shaping the Constitution, in laying the foundation of modern India, and in the Indian freedom struggle, Vallabhbhai Patel ji and Nehru ji had a unique bond and this jugalbandi was beneficial for the country,” Ramesh said.
He also said that the way farmers and their organisations are being treated and their demands related to MSP legal guarantee are being ignored is an “insult of Patel”.
Ramesh said the Working Committee meeting being held in Gujarat sends a strong message.
Earlier, Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge accused the BJP and RSS of trying to usurp Patel’s legacy under a “well-planned conspiracy” against national heroes and said it is laughable as the Sangh Parivar had “no contribution” to the freedom struggle.
He said that Patel’s ideology was contrary to the ideas of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) and he had even banned the organisation.
“But it is laughable that today the people of that organisation claim Sardar Patel’s legacy,” Kharge said.
Party revamp
The Congress is going to have a “massive organisational reshuffle”, AICC general secretary K C Venugopal said on Tuesday (8).
Briefing reporters after the extended Congress Working Committee meeting at the Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel National Memorial, Venugopal noted that the Congress has dedicated this year to a complete restructuring of the party organisation and the issue was discussed at length at the meeting.
“We are going to have a massive organisational reshuffle, and there will be guidelines for the same. Our general secretaries and in-charges are on it,” he said.
Venugopal also stressed that measures to empower the party’s district unit chiefs will be rolled out soon.
Strong district units
Earlier in the day, AICC general secretary Sachin Pilot told reporters that the Congress intends to create more empowered district units with their presidents having enhanced accountability, responsibility and political strength.
He said that the Congress would fight the upcoming elections with strength and expressed confidence that the Congress and its supporting ideologies would come together to give the BJP and the NDA a tough challenge.
Briefing reporters outside the venue, Pilot said, “The intention of the Congress president and the Leader of Opposition is to create a more empowered district unit.”
“The accountability, the responsibility and the political strength that we have thus given to the district presidents is set to be enhanced,” he stressed.
The final outcome will be decided after the convention on Wednesday, but the intention of the Congress is to make the District Pradesh Congress (DCC) presidents more empowered than before, the former Union minister said.
“The year 2025 is the year of the organisation to strengthen our workers, expand our party ideology and to make sure that the Congress reaches out in a mass contact programme through padyatras and door-to-door programmes,” he said.
The party wants to send a clear message not just to its opponents but to its supporters and workers that the Congress will not step back and fight aggressively both within Parliament and outside, and make sure it wins the next political challenge, Pilot said.
“Elections are fought to be won, the next few elections we will fight with strength and I am supremely confident that the Congress and its supporting ideologies will come together to give the BJP and the NDA a tough challenge,” Pilot said.
He said the resolution passed at the end of the session on April 9 will be named ‘Nyay Path’. (PTI)
