BELAGAVI: The Congress Working Committee meeting to be held on December 26 in Belagavi to commemorate the centenary of the historic Congress session of 1924, will give a fillip to the country’s politics and Congress party’s ongoing crusade, AICC general secretary KC Venugopal said here on Tuesday.
Addressing a joint press conference with Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, Deputy Chief Minister DK Shivakumar and AICC general secretary Randeep Singh Surjewala at the Congress office in Belagavi, Venugopal said Mahatma Gandhi was the Congress president only once, and had taken charge in Belagavi on December 26, 1924. “We are now in 2024 and it is a matter of pride for every Congress worker to celebrate 100 years of this historic moment,” he said.
Mahatma Gandhi propagated non-violence and fought the British with this principle to bring Independence to the country, he said, adding that the BJP has now destroyed everything.
There is no equality in the country with the rich getting richer and poor getting poorer. “Priority is being given to protect the interest of only one person in the country by the government,’’ said Venugopal. He alleged that public undertakings were on sale in the country and the nation’s assets were going into the hands of one person.
“We (Congress) are discussing having a caste census to ensure security for SC/STs, backward classes and poorer sections of society. We are speaking about equality, which Gandhiji spoke about 100 years ago,’’ said Venugopal.
He charged the BJP with opening a “market of hatred” in the country and sowing seeds of hatred in the name of religion. The Congress was fighting against the dictatorship-like administration of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Home Minister Amit Shah. Under such circumstances, the CWC meeting would give a new dimension to the country’s politics, and the party would take a big decision. The meeting would be held at 3pm on December 26.
‘East India Company then, Modani now’
Randeep Singh Surjewala said if East India Company had ruled the country then, Modani was ruling the country now. “The East India Company exploited sections of society, Dalits and the poor, and the same is being done by Modani now. The Centre is attempting to gain control over the Constitution, which was produced by Pandit Nehru, Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel, Ambedkar, Moulana Azad and Dr Rajendra Prasad,” he said.