In a clear message to those trying to “spread lies” about Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel and about his relations with Jawaharlal Nehru, the Extended Congress Working Committee on Tuesday vowed to tread the path shown by Patel. This is a clear indication of reclaiming the “Iron Man”.
At the meeting of the Extended Congress Working Committee held at Sardar Patel Memorial in Shahibaug, Ahmedabad, the members passed a special resolution “Flag bearer of Freedom Movement — Our ‘Sardar’ – Sh. Vallabhbhai Patel” (sic).
One hundred and fifty-eight members also passed a political resolution and also discussed a resolution on Gujarat. While all three resolutions were approved at the Extended CWC, the final approval will be given at the AICC’s convention to be held at the Sabarmati Riverfront on Wednesday.
At least 20 members, including party general secretary Priyanka Gandhi, who were invited did not attend the meeting.
In the last 140 years, the AICC session has been organised for the sixth time in Gujarat and the third time in Ahmedabad.
Senior Congress leader Jairam Ramesh told media persons after the meeting that it was the duty of the Congress to hold the session in Gujarat at a time when the 150th birth centenary of Sardar Patel is being celebrated. He said the very fact that the session is being held in Gujarat is a clear and important message.
Ramesh said that Patel and Jawaharlal Nehru were two makers of modern India, who also played a major role in the freedom struggle and later in drafting the Constitution, and those trying to say that the relationship between the two were bad are lying. They shared a unique relationship under the leadership of Mahatma Gandhi, Ramesh said.
Without mentioning the BJP, the Congress leader hit out at the saffron party to say how those who take the name of Sardar Patel time and again treat the farmers. The Congress leader also mentioned how the farmers are not being given the minimum support prices (MSP) and their demands of loan waivers are not fulfilled.
The meeting was chaired by party president Mallikarjun Kharge and it was attended by a host of party leaders including Sonia Gandhi, Rahul Gandhi, Kamal Nath, D K Shiv Kumar, Ambika Soni and P. Chidambaram.
AICC general secretary K. C. Venugopal took to social media and said, “Today, as we embark on the path of social justice, our Nyay Path follows the same principles laid down by Sardar Patel”. The Congress has given the theme of Nyay Path for the two-day meetings.
The special resolution on Sardar Patel takes note of seven areas like walking on the path of struggle shown by him for the rights of the farmers, reclaiming the spirit of India by “Shed Hatred-Unite India”, fight for the workers and the labour class and struggle for justice against extreme wealth inequality and deeply embedded concentration of wealth and, walking on these paths.
The party also vowed to defeat the forces of animosity and division by exposing the fake news factory of these elements.
In his opening remarks, Kharge said that the BJP and the Sangh Parivar are trying to take over Gandhian institutions and handing it over to those having a different ideology than Gandhiji. He pointed out that people know what happened in Gujarat Vidyapith. Kharge also mentioned how the people of the cooperative sector were marginalised.
The political resolution included issues like the rights of the poor and marginalised, failure to give employment, the state of agriculture in the country and the foreign policy, which the Congress feels that it is flawed and hence as a result India’s relations with the neighbours aren’t good.
Issues relating to Gujarat like malnutrition and unemployment, the state of the diamond and textile industries and ceramic sectors were included in the resolution on Gujarat.
