Democracy strangulated, Congress will channelise this anger: Pawan Khera ahead of AICC session in Ahmedabad

Both the meetings will be under the presidentship of Congress chief Mallikarjun Kharge. The extended CWC, which will see nearly 260 participants in attendance, will be held at the Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel National Memorial on Tuesday while the AICC, expected to witness 1,825 participants, will be held on Wednesday on the Sabarmati Riverfront.

“We all are aware how democracy has been strangulated for the last 10-11 years in the country and over 30 years in Gujarat. Through this convention, the Congress will channelise this anger. Ours is not a political party but much more than that. It is the society’s voice, and there have been many attempts at muting this voice… slogans like ‘Congress-mukt Bharat’ (Congress-free India) were raised but this voice cannot be silenced. Freedom is in India’s blood. Every constitutional body is going through a bad phase today. Be assured that the sun will rise and darkness will be gone,” Khera said.

The schedule of the two-day convention with the theme ‘Nyay Path –Sankalp Samarpan aur Sangharsh’ includes CWC meeting, a prayer meet at Sabarmati Ashram, and a cultural programme at the Sabarmati Riverfront Event Centre.

Khera, who is also a member of the CWC, drew parallels of the present-day AICC conventions with the ones held during the times of the freedom struggle and said, “In Congress party’s case, it is not just one person who takes a decision and everyone else follows. We all work together. This is not just about today; even before 1947, through conventions, we have achieved the most difficult challenges together. Within the party too, there has been a tradition of arriving at solutions together and through open discussions.”

Khera, while addressing media persons at Rajiv Gandhi Bhavan – the Congress headquarters in Ahmedabad — further said, “This confluence of thoughts is historic for many reasons. The phase through which the country is passing, the phase through which the middle class is passing, traders, Dalits and tribals, minorities… we all are watching that. History is recording everything.”

He said, “Being a responsible political party, it is our duty during such a phase to come forward and remove the doubts in people’s hearts that the future is dark. When people had similar doubts during the British rule, the Congress and its leaders such as Mahatma Gandhi, Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel, Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru, Maulana Azad, Subhash Chandra Bose, Baba Saheb Ambedkar and others removed the darkness together. Removing darkness is a continuous struggle in which the Congress neither fell behind then nor will fall back now.”

Echoing similar views, Shaktisinh Gohil, Gujarat Pradesh Congress Committee (PCC) president, said that the Congress is organising the convention in the midst of several hurdles. “AICC was formed with no selfish reason but only with the thought of keeping the nation first and fighting the British rule. Through this convention, the Congress is working towards restoration of Gujarat’s traditions among which are Gandhi’s simplicity, truth and ideology of non-violence.”

He further said, “Humility has been Gujarat’s tradition. I remember the time when I was a minister and the then CM wanted to decide on the dates for protests against the Narmada project… He asked the leader of Opposition for a convenient date, stating that even though the ministers will go by road, he (the CM) will accompany the leaders of opposition in a helicopter. Through this convention, we will work with renewed energy. Our struggle is to revive Gujarat’s asmita (identity) and not to topple the government.”

On the issues that would be discussed during the session, Amit Chavda, Leader of the Congress Legislative Party, said, “Centralisation of power and anti-Gandhian principles are prevalent in Gujarat… Issues that the people of Gujarat have been suffering from after 30 years of the BJP’s rule, such as unemployment, contractual appointments, malnutrition, lack of infrastructure in education and health facilities, and the state of diamond, textile and ceramic industry, will be discussed. Besides, social justice, Budget allocation for SC, ST, and OBC communities will be discussed.”
The AICC convention is being held in Gujarat for the first time in 64 years. The first convention of the AICC was held in 1885. According to the Congress, the roots of India’s Independence were planted in the Haripura session held in the state in 1938. It was in this session that the Congress passed a resolution for Purna Swaraj (complete independence) for India.