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regular-article-logo Wednesday, 24 April 2024

Sonia Gandhi tells Congress: Fight for citizens

The party will organise demonstrations on November 5 against attacks on farmers and Dalits, and mark October 31 — birth anniversary of Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel & Indira Gandhi — as Kisan Adhikar Diwas

Sanjay K. Jha New Delhi Published 19.10.20, 01:13 AM
Sonia Gandhi

Sonia Gandhi PTI

Congress president Sonia Gandhi on Sunday said Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s "mismanagement" and intent to serve the interests of crony capitalists had created crisis on every front, from the economy to agriculture to safety of citizens.

Asking the party’s newly appointed office-bearers to wage a relentless struggle against injustice and discrimination in every sphere of national life, Sonia said at a meeting called to review the political scenario: "Your responsibility is even more onerous and important as our democracy is passing through its most tumultuous times. There is a designed attack on our Constitution and our democratic traditions. Our country is ruled by a government that is systematically bartering the interests of our citizens at the altar of profiteering by a handful of crony capitalists."

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She added: "The current government has attacked the very foundation of our resilient agrarian economy by bringing in three anti-agriculture black laws. A conspiracy has been hatched to defeat the gains of the Green Revolution. The lives and livelihoods of crores of farm labourers, leasehold farmers, small and marginal farmers, toiling labourers and small shopkeepers are under attack."

Congress general secretary in charge of organisation, K.C. Venugopal, announced that the meeting decided to intensify the agitation over the farm reforms and the atrocities against Dalits and women.

The Congress will organise demonstrations throughout the country on November 5 against the attacks on farmers and Dalits, and mark October 31 — the birth anniversary of Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel and Indira Gandhi — as Kisan Adhikar Diwas.

Day-long fasts will be organised by party leader and workers at every district headquarters. Between November 1 and 10, tractor rallies will be taken out in every state. On November 19, the Congress will submit 2 crore signatures collected from farmers all over the country to the President.

Sonia also criticised the government over its handling of the pandemic.

"The country was pushed into the abyss of the pandemic by the sheer ineptitude and mismanagement of the Modi government. All this happened as we witnessed the biggest unplanned, unmanaged and cruel migration of crores of migrant labourers as the government remained a mute spectator to their miseries," the Congress chief said.

"The stark truth is that a Prime Minster who promised to defeat corona within 21 days has abdicated his and his government’s responsibility towards the citizens," she added.

On the economy, Sonia said: "The government has simultaneously demolished our economy.... Never has the country witnessed such a free fall in GDP….

"Today, the young have no jobs. Nearly 14 crore jobs have been lost. Small and medium businesses, small shopkeepers and other small enterprises are shutting at an unprecedented pace, yet an uncaring government remains a mute spectator. So much so, the government is now failing to honour even its constitutional responsibilities.

"The share of GST compensation is being denied to the states. How will the state governments help our people if the Centre is to renege on its constitutional obligations? This must be the first example of economic anarchy being spread by the central government."

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