April 9, 2025
AHMEDABAD – Stepping up its attack on the BJP and RSS, the Congress on Tuesday said the ideology of “violence and communalism” is pushing the country into an “abyss of hatred”, based on the divisions of religious polarization.
The Congress Working Committee (CWC) made this statement in a special resolution approved by it on ‘Iron Man of India’, Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel, reaffirming the party’s commitment to his ideal, during its meeting chaired by Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge here, in presence of Congress Parliamentary Party chairperson Sonia Gandhi and Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi.
The party said it is determined to emulate the resoluteness of Patel by fighting the “frenzy of religious polarization”.
Notably, the statement of the Congress came days after the passage of the Waqf (Amendment) Bill,2024 in Parliament. The party had earlier said that it will challenge the constitutionality of the Bill in the Supreme Court and it is part of the BJP’s deliberate strategy to keep society in a state of permanent polarisation.
“Today, the ideology of violence and communalism is pushing the country into an abyss of hatred, based on the divisions of religious polarization. Therefore, once again, the Congress party is determined to emulate the resoluteness of ‘Iron man’ Sardar Patel by fighting the frenzy of religious polarization,” read the resolution approved by the party’s highest decision making body, while targeting the BJP and RSS.
The “forces” which opposed to the foundational principles of “truth and non-violence” and also opposed to the freedom struggle, personify the same violent ideology that murdered Mahatma Gandhi, adding Nathuram Godse was indoctrinated by this very perverted ideology, it said.
Citing that Patel believed that the ideology of ‘violence and communalism’ is inimical to national interests, the Congress in its resolution said, ” It was Sardar Patel, who banned the RSS on 4 February, 1948 after the assassination of Mahatma Gandhi.”
At that time, a similar violent ideology attacked both Patel and former prime minister Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru and even gave a call for their ‘public hanging’, it said.
“The ideology of make-believe confrontation and mischievously professed division had led to spreading of a deliberate web of lies of conflict between Sardar Patel and Pandit Nehru. In reality, it was an attack on the very ethos of our freedom struggle and the inseparable leadership of Gandhi-Nehru-Patel,” the CWC resolution said.
It further said, “The cobweb of deceit and deception couldn’t sustain, for Sardar Patel himself wrote to Pandit Nehru on 3 August, 1947 and unequivocally stated, our attachment and affection for each other and our comradeship for an unbroken period of nearly 30 years admit of no formalities…. Our combination is unbreakable and therein lies our strength.”
Asserting that the forces of animosity and division seek to undermine the very spirit of camaraderie and bonhomie, the party said, “Therefore, once again, Congress is determined to follow the life principles of Sardar Patel to defeat the forces of animosity and division as also exposing the fake news factory of these elements.”
The party also vowed to walk in the footsteps of Patel by a renewed struggle for justice against extreme wealth inequality and deeply embedded concentration of wealth.
Mentioning farmers issue, the Congress said, “The BJP government of today emulates the cruel British policies against the farmers be it bringing an ordinance to whittle down ‘the Right to Fair Compensation Law’ for acquisition of land, the three Anti-Agriculture ‘Black Laws’ to enslave the farmers, blocking the path of farmers by digging up roads and putting up spikes and wedges.Therefore, the Congress is ready to tread the path of struggle shown by Sardar Patel for the rights of the farmers.”
Apprising about the CWC meeting, Congress general secretary in-charge of Organisation KC Venugopal said , “The meeting highlights the deep-rooted connection between the Indian National Congress (INC) and Gujarat, dating back to 1902. This is the sixth time the party has held a national-level meeting in Gujarat, emphasizing the state’s importance in the party’s history.”
He also mentioned about the special resolution on Patel, reaffirming the Congress commitment to his ideals.
Congress general secretary in-charge of Communications Jairam Ramesh informed 158 members who were present in the CWC meeting.
“Today a special resolution on Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel was discussed and passed. Tomorrow, two more resolutions will be discussed, one on national issues and the other on Gujarat issues and political situation,” he said while referring to the AICC meeting, scheduled to be held here on Wednesday.