Sonia Gandhi asserts 'changes in party' is need of the hour at Congress' Chintan Shivir

The Congress' three-day Chintan Shivir, which is a brainstorming session, began in Rajasthan's Udaipur on Friday. The conclave, also attended by Rahul Gandhi, focuses on the time-bound restructuring of the national decades-old party, finding ways to combat the politics of polarization and also getting ready for the battle for the forthcoming electoral challenges. 

Speaking at the event, Congress interim President Sonia Gandhi said, "Chintan Shivir gives us an opportunity to discuss numerous challenges that the country is facing as a result of the policies of BJP and RSS. It is also an occasion to deliberate on the many tasks ahead of us. It is both 'Chintan' about national issues and meaningful 'aatmachintan' about our party organisation. By now, it has become clear what Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his ministers really mean by 'Maximum Governance, Minimum government' slogan."

"It means keeping the country in a state of permanent polarisation. Compelling people to live in a constant state of fear. It is often victimising and brutalizing minorities, who are an equal citizens of our Republic. It means using society's age-old moralities to divide us. It means threatening and intimidating political opponents. Maligning their reputation and jailing them, misusing investigating agencies against them," she added. 

Sonia Gandhi continued, "It means constant degradation of our leaders, especially Jawaharlal Nehru. It means glorifying the killer of Mahatma Gandhi and their ideologies. It means the blatant undermining of principles and provisions of our nation's constitutions of its pillars- justice, secularism, liberty, equality, and fraternity. It means turning a blind eye to continued atrocities across the country especially Dalits, women, and Adivasis. It means more anti-slogans, diversionary tactics and utter silence on the part of an ever-so eloquent PM when the healing touch is most needed." 

"The fire of hatred being ignited has taken a heavy toll on the lives of people. This is having serious social consequences, much more serious than we can imagine. The vast number of Indians want to live in an environment of peace. The BJP wants to keep people in a state of perpetual conflict. They constant provoke people."

'Changes in organisation are need of the hour'

"Changes in organisation are need of the hour, we need to change the way of our working. We have to keep organisation above personal ambitions, the party has given us a lot and it is time to pay back. We must do this at any cost. It is imperative to sustain high economic growth. We must generate revenues needed for the welfare programmes and improve the standard of living."

"But the worsening environment shakes the very foundation of economic growth. Starting with the disastrous demonetisation on November 2016, the economy has witnessed a steep downslide. A majority of MSMEs have been crippled. For the first time, vast numbers of people have given up finding jobs. Whatever support the centre govt provided, have been on account of most UPA programmes. The sheer tenacity of farmers and their organization compel the Modi govt to repeal the three farmer laws. The congress party stood with them both within parliament and outside. But the promises made by PM Modi to the farmers when they withdrew their agitation, are yet to be fulfiled. I urge partymen to express views openly at Shivir, but one message of strong party & unity should go out to the country," the Congress President said. 

It is pertinent to mention here that Chintan Shivir came after the party faced "an unprecedented crisis" as it remains in power on its own in just two states and has less than 100 members in both Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha.