BELAGAVI: The extended Congress Working Committee (CWC) at Belagavi on Thursday sealed its commitment to revamp the party organisation in the coming months and fight “anti-Constitutional” sentiments taking sway across the country.
The CWC resolved to commit to protecting the Indian Constitution and the ideals of the Indian Independence Movement. Accordingly, the CWC resolved to launch the “Jai Bapu, Jai Bhim, Jai Samvidhan Abhiyan”, beginning with a rally in Belagavi on Friday (December 27) and culminating in a rally at Mhow on January 26th, 2025, commemorating the 75th anniversary of the Constitution coming into force and the founding of our Republic.
During this month, rallies will be organized in every block, district, and state as well.
The CWC met on Thursday to commemorate the 100th anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi’s historic taking over of the Presidency of Indian National Congress at its 39th Session in 1924.
CWC expressed concerns over alleged state-sponsored increase in communal and ethnic hatred, particularly targeted against minority communities. Manipur, which has been burning since May 2023, continues to be met with indifference by the Prime Minister and his Government.
The PM has not visited this troubled state ever since violence erupted in May 2023. Communal tension has been stoked in Sambhal and other places for the RSS-BJP’s narrow political gain. The Places of Worship Act, 1991 to which the Indian National Congress is firmly committed in letter and spirit has also come under needless and reckless debate, the CWC opined.
The CWC also condemned in the strongest terms, the manner in which peaceful protests by Congress were dealt with by the governments in BJP-ruled states like Assam and UP. A number of Congress workers lost their lives. This is totally unacceptable, and it only reflects the anti-democratic mindset of the BJP. The meeting demanded a socio-economic caste census be conducted at the earliest.
The 50% ceiling on reservations for scheduled castes, scheduled tribes, and OBCs must be increased so as to enhance further the benefits accrued to these three traditionally disadvantaged groups of our society.
‘Shah’s remarks BJP’s fresh attack on Constitution’
Reservations must be on the basis of social, economic, or educational backwardness determined through appropriate means, the CWC said.
Given the urgency to preserve, protect, and promote the legacy of Mahatma Gandhi and that of the Constitution, this movement will extend beyond January 26th, 2025. Between January 26, 2025, and January 26, 2026, the Indian National Congress will launch a massive, nationwide public outreach campaign called the Samvidhan Bachao Rashtriya Padayatra in which all leaders will participate. This Padayatra will be from village to village, township to township in the form of a relay. The details will be announced shortly.
Expressing concern over the alleged attack on the Constitution, Mahatma Gandhi and Ambedkar recently, the CWC said Home Minister Amit Shah’s denigration of the latter in the Lok Sabha was BJP’s fresh attack on the Constitution. In a political resolution passed on Thursday, the CWC demanded Shah’s resignation and sought his apology to the nation.
The CWC said, “Unfortunately, as we enter the 75th year of our Republic in exactly a month’s time, the Constitution faces its gravest threat yet. Jawaharlal Nehru had said that there is no doubt that no one took greater care and trouble over Constitution making than Dr. Ambedkar.’’ The CWC said it is also profoundly distressed by the ongoing degradation of our democracy. Institutions such as the judiciary, the Election Commission, and the media have been politicised through executive pressure. Parliament has been gutted, as shown by the unprecedented obstruction of its proceedings by the treasury benches in the recently concluded Winter Session of 2024. The Constitution’s federal structure continues to be under attack, most recently from the Government’s One Nation, One Election bill.
The CWC condemned the Centre’s amendment to the Conduct of Election Rules 1961 undertaken on the recommendation of the Election Commission of India which restricts public access to crucial sections of poll documents. This undermines the principles of transparency and accountability that form the cornerstone of free and fair elections. “We have challenged these amendments in the Supreme Court. The way elections have been conducted in Haryana and Maharashtra especially, have already eroded the integrity of the electoral process.”
The CWC noted the slowdown in economy and an increase in prices of essential commodities, stating that “The Modi Government’s economic policies are designed to enrich only a few of the PM’s favourite business groups.” It noted that oligopolies were growing and the integrity of regulators was being called into question.
