 "Congress Foundation Day: Kharge attacks govt, says society divided by hate")
Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge on Wednesday attacked the government, saying the fundamentals of India are being constantly attacked and the society is being "divided by hate".
Addressing party leaders and workers at the 138th foundation day of the Congress at the AICC headquarters here, he said the people of the country are being hit by price rise and unemployment but the government is not bothered.
He also said that India progressed due to Congress' approach of inclusion and taking everyone along.
India not only emerged as a successful and strong democracy but within a few decades it became a super power in economic, nuclear and strategic areas, Kharge said, adding, it is among the top nations of the world in agriculture, education, medical, IT and services sector.
"This did not happen on its own. This happened due to Congress' faith in democracy and our inclusive ideology of taking everyone along and due to our full faith in the Constitution that gives equal rights and opportunities to all," he told the gathering.
"The fundamentals of India are being constantly attacked. The society is being divided by hate, people are hit by price rise and unemployment but the government is not bothered," he charged.
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Kharge also unfurled the party's flag at the AICC headquarters in the presence of former party chiefs Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi, who was again seen sporting a white T-shirt amid the winter chill, and top Congress leaders and workers.
"I am proud that I am a part of such an organization which chose the path of truth, non-violence and struggle in every situation and always took every step in public interest," Rahul Gandhi tweeted in Hindi while sharing a video of pictures of previous Congress foundation days during the freedom struggle.
Sharing an old video of Congress leaders, Kharge tweeted, "Indian National Congress has always worked for the well-being and progress of the people of India. We firmly believe in equality of opportunity guaranteed in political, economic and social rights, enshrined in the Constitution of India. My best wishes on Congress Foundation Day".
Speaking at the party office, he said the foundation of the Congress was kept on this day in 1885 in Mumbai. He said 137 years have gone by ever since the Congress was formed and in the 75 years of Independence, the country has several milestones in which one would see an imprint of the Congress.
The party chief said the occasion is significant as the Congress Seva Dal also enters its 100th year of formation and congratulated them for their contribution.
Noting that other nations also got independence along with India, he said dictators wrested power in many of them.
Kharge noted that India progressed as the Congress displayed courage to free the poor, oppressed and Dalits of their thousands of years of fretters and honestly worked towards taking the freedom to everyone and taking them forward.
He recalled Mahatma Gandhi's words that he did not see politics as power but connected it with issues of social reform, working against untouchability, economic self-reliance, equal rights, against communalism and male-dominated society.
The Congress president said it was during the freedom struggle that the party passed the Karachi resolution in which the planning committee for India's Constitution was set up to formulate the blueprint of its basic structure.
"It was due to this preparation that India did not disintegrate but emerged strongly and moved forward.
"It is the Congress' pledge to protect the nation's boundaries and its social fabric and protect the rights of every citizen and ensure education-employment opportunities for people," he said, recalling the numerous laws brought out during the UPA government in this regard.
The Congress chief highlighted that in Jawaharlal Nehru's first cabinet, five out of 14 ministers were from non-Congress parties.
Kharge said Rahul Gandhi has made a beginning towards this through his Bharat Jodo Yatra and that is why it is getting an overwhelming support from the public and the BJP is rattled.
"We urge every citizen to join the Yatra," he said and added, "We assure you that we are ready to live up to your expectations".
Kharge later attended an event in Mumbai to mark the Congress Foundation Day.
The Congress was formed in Mumbai in 1885 and it is after a long time that the party chief is visiting Mumbai on the day.
(Only the headline and picture of this report may have been reworked by the Business Standard staff; the rest of the content is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)