A befitting reply to the anarchy of the present government

Shri Mallikarjun Kharge, President Indian National Congress addressed the Congress Leaders and Party Workers on the occasion of Presentation of Certificate Ceremony at AICC Hdqrs, on October 26, 2022

Respected Sonia Gandhi ji, Shri Rahul Gandhi ji, KC Venugopal ji, Madhusudan Mistry ji, our leaders present in the gathering and my dear colleagues from the Congress Party and friends from the media, today is a very emotional moment for me. Today, I express my heartfelt gratitude and thanks to all of you for giving this honor to a worker, a laborer’s son, a common worker by electing him as the President of the Indian National Congress. The journey which I started in 1969 as the President of the Block Congress Committee, has been brought to this graceful destination today by you. It is most fortunate and a matter of great pride for me to handle a responsibility for the great political party which was led by Mahatma Gandhi ji, Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru ji, Subhash Chandra Bose ji, Sardar Patel ji, Maulana Azad ji, Babu Jagjivan Ram ji, Indira Gandhi ji and Rajiv Gandhi ji.

Dr. Ambedkar drafted the Constitution of this country. I think it is our duty to protect the matchless contribution of the Congress Party in the making of modern India, we should all be ready to fight for it.

Remembering all the former Presidents of Congress, I assure you of doing everything best in my capacity with my hard work and my experience. But all of you will also have to fight with me with all your might and passion. That is my appeal.

Today, on this occasion, on behalf of crores of Congress workers, I would like to express my heartfelt reverence, admiration and gratitude for the valuable contribution of Smt. Sonia Gandhi Ji. I remember the day of January 15, 1998, when you had said in your first public meeting at the National High School ground in Bangalore that I am taking political initiation from Karnataka. Since then, you have handled the Congress with selfless hard work day and night.

Sonia ji always followed the path of truth. It is difficult to find any other example of sacrifice she has set in this era of those who indulge in power politics.

The UPA government was formed twice under her leadership; leading to brilliant work being done in the interest of the common people. Many laws like MGNREGA, Food Security Act, Right to Information, Right to Education, Forest Rights Act, Land Acquisition Act etc. were made, which is a huge achievement of the government led by Sonia ji and Dr. Manmohan Singh ji.

It is now the responsibility of all of us to implement the blueprint prepared in Udaipur’s ‘Navsankalp Chintan Shivir’ under the leadership of Sonia ji to take the Party forward.

I know these are difficult times. We all know that efforts are being made today to change the way democracy was established by Congress.

Who would have thought of an era of such politics in the country, in which lies would prevail and the rulers sitting in power themselves would be engaged in weakening democracy. But I also know that we will continue to break this system of lies, deceit and hatred.

The Congress’ ideology is the ideology of the Indian Constitution and crores of countrymen believe in it wholeheartedly. Many such people are not formally connected with the Congress Party at all, but they want to save democracy. As Congress President, I want to urge them to come together. I assure them that this country belongs to everyone and Congress is meant for everyone.

The Congress Party has been a part of people’s lives for 137 years. Despite our good work, despite the sacrifices of our leaders, the voters are somewhat upset with us.

I express my gratitude to Shri Rahul Gandhi ji who understood this and bypassing every difficulty, to have embarked on the ‘Bharat Jodo Yatra’. He is meeting people, talking to them directly, listening to their sorrows and pains. He is meeting all the people - whether they are NGOs, intellectuals, journalists, farmers, laborers, children, he meets everyone on the way, asks them and during interval, communicates with them too. This is a huge achievement for our Party and this is a grand gift for us, especially for me.

Every day, lakhs of people are joining this ‘Bharat Jodo Yatra’ travelling from Kanyakumari to Kashmir. A new energy is being created in the country. This is my responsibility as Congress President to not let this energy go in vain. I need your support in fulfilling this responsibility and I am ready to work with you on this subject.

I have reached here working from the lowest of rungs. I joined this Party while working as a primary member, Block Congress Committee, and have reached this position among you today. I have personally faced all the difficulties that common workers and party leaders face.

I am well-aware of the challenges, the ups and downs, the hope and despair that you go through while working in the Party. That is why I want to tell you with confidence that together we will face every challenge.

Let us take that ideology of Congress among the people, which Rahul ji has given a new edge to during his tenure.

We know that there are crores of youth in this country, who want to see India rising above the divisions of religion, caste and gender. Those who want peace in India, employment, development, scientific temper, democracy.

This youth is the hope of the country and the Congress. In ‘Udaipur NavsankalpShivir’, we had decided that youth would be taken forward in the Party. 50% posts in the organization will be reserved for people below 50 years of age. This hope of the youth will be fulfilled with your collective cooperation.

Also, in Udaipur, we had decided that Congress workers would be empowered. All organizational vacancies at block, district, state and national level will be filled. This will happen.

In the Udaipur Declaration, the Party had decided that Public Insight Department and AICC Election Management Department would be formed for the preparations for the elections. This is a great need of today’s time. That’s why we will install them immediately.

Quite soon, Political Affairs Committees will be made in all the states. We will also make Social Justice Advisory Committee to the aid of Congress President and leadership missions for helping SC & ST and OBC categories within a few days’ time frame.

We had pledged in Udaipur to give a befitting reply to the anarchy of the present government in the country. It is the dream of the BJP & RSS to eradicate opposition from the country. They talk a lot about ‘New India’.

But what kind of ‘New India’ is this in which youth are not getting employment, where farmers are crushed under jeeps, in which atrocities on women are increasing and tyrants are respected?

What kind of a ‘New India’ is this where people are reeling under inflation, but the government has turned a blind eye. The government is selling all the PSUs, airports, ports, roads, rails, banks made by the people of India and putting them in the pockets of a few of its friends?

In this ‘New India’, hunger is increasing, pollution is increasing, education is getting expensive, but the rupee is falling. Here, the government is sleeping but the ED, Income tax, CBI have been working round the clock for suppression?

In this India, people of Dalit, Adivasi, minority, exploited society are humiliated and opportunities are being snatched from them.

Today in this ‘New India’, truth is being tampered with. Here, Godse is considered a patriot and Mahatma Gandhi a traitor. Here, efforts are being made to replace the Constitution of Babasaheb with the Constitution of the ‘Sangh’.

To create this ‘New India’, they want a Congress-free India, because Congress will not allow this to happen and will continue to fight against it.

Today, especially on this occasion, I congratulate our more than 9,000 newly elected PCC delegates and want to tell them that you are the basic foundation of our Party. You are connected to the ground and are closest to the ground.

That is why it would not be wrong to say that you are the eyes and ears of our Congress organization. You are the companions of happiness and sorrow of 6 crore primary members of our Party in your respective blocks. When a common worker of our Party is strong, it is only then that our central organization becomes strong.

Today, I want to call upon my Congress family to come together to carry the message of ‘Bharat Jodo Yatra’ to every nook & corner of the country. The message of economic equality, safeguarding constitutional values, communal harmony, more employment opportunities to the youth of India.

Let’s tell the people of India that Congress is with them in their struggles and aspirations. Tell them that we are going to be their voice and that we will work for an India that was envisioned by forefathers who gave their blood and sweat for this great nation.

Lastly, I would like to thank the Chairman of the Central Election Authority and its members, the Congress Party and his team proving once again that Congress is the only Party that truly has internal democracy and that has been proved in this election, very impartially conducted by the Chairman of the Election Authority, I once again congratulate him.

I also would like to thank CWC members, PCC Presidents, CLP leaders and all organisational wings for their support and cooperation that they extended for conducting this election smoothly. In the end, I would like to once again thank our PCC delegates and I want to tell them that you are the foundation of our Party.

As President, it will be my utmost duty to look after our workers. Together we will build an India that will be enlightened, empowered and equal for every citizen.

The Constitution will be protected in this country, equal rights and opportunities for all will be protected. We will continue to defeat those who spread hatred among people. We will become the voice of the people, we will have to fight against inflation, unemployment, hunger. The future of Indians will have to be protected.

In the coming time, elections are to be held in Himachal, Gujarat and other states where people want change. We will have to strongly project our Party there. You should cooperate with everyone and everyone’s hard work should be put in it, only then we will get success in it. We are the soldiers of Mahatma Gandhi, we are not afraid of anyone and when the Congress worker uproots his inner fear, even the biggest empire will kneel down, so that’s why I remember - When Rahul ji was in the Lok Sabha, he always used to say one thing - whatever difficulties we will face, do not be afraid of them. His word was “Don’t be afraid” and we will carry forward the slogan of “Don’t be afraid”.

I want to tell the youth of the country that the battle that Congress is fighting is not just our battle, it is not for our Party, it is the battle for your future, which we will all fight and win together and emerge victorious in it. Having said this, I conclude my four words. Jai Hind! Jai Congress!