Sonia Gandhi attacks Modi govt at CWC meeting

The Congress Working Committee (CWC) on Tuesday condemned in unequivocal terms the attack on Rahul Gandhi in Gujarat last week, asserting that the grand old party was determined to “fight back, confront and defeat” the forces of violence.

Raising the issue, Congress general secretary Avinash Pande said the CWC should take cognisance of the “murderous” attack on party vice-president Rahul during his visit to flood-affected areas on August 4. He insisted that the party’s highest decisionmaking body pass a resolution in this regard.

To this, Congress president Sonia Gandhi, who chaired the meeting, said the issue should be de-linked with the main agenda, which was to pass a resolution on the 75th anniversary of the Quit India Movement. Rahul skipped the meeting due to fever.

Pande’s demand was supported by all senior leaders. The CWC later moved a resolution, saying the “forces of violence unleashed by the BJP and its associates have no place” in a civilised political discourse in a democracy.

“The Congress, therefore, is determined to fight back and confront and defeat the forces of violence and through the resolution we make it clear that the Congress voice and truth cannot be silenced by violence and such attacks,” it said.

Earlier, the Congress president, in her opening remarks, expressed concern over the rise in cases of “self vigilantism” and said the party must defend liberty and freedom of individuals and institutions.

“Today, many sections live in fear, none more than the minorities, Dalits, tribals and women. Not a day passes without an incident where the liberty of the individual has been trampled upon by anti-social elements or self-appointed vigilantes,” she added.

Attacking the BJP-led NDA dispensation, Gandhi said, “Far from curbing their onslaught, the government of the day encourages and empowers them to flout the rule of law and unleash oppression.”

Former PM Manmohan Singh also expressed concern over the condition of farmers and the country’s youth, besides multiple problems persisting post-demonetisation and GST.

In its resolution on the Quit India Movement that was launched at the Bombay session of the All India Congress Committee by Mahatma Gandhi in August 1942, demanding an end to British rule in India, the party re-dedicated itself to defend the idea of India as envisioned by leaders of the freedom movement.