AHMEDABAD: At the Congress Working Committee (CWC) meeting held on Tuesday, senior leader Rahul Gandhi acknowledged that the party had become entangled in identity politics concerning Dalits, Muslims, and Brahmins, resulting in a loss of support from Other Backward Classes (OBCs).
Rahul Gandhi said the party has often been labelled “pro-Muslim” for raising minority issues but insisted that Congress should not fear such labels and must continue to address relevant matters.
Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge launched a scathing attack on the RSS, stating that Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel’s ideology was in direct contrast with that of the Sangh. “It is absurd,” he said, “that an organisation which played no role in the freedom struggle is now trying to claim Patel’s legacy.”
Kharge alleged that the BJP and the Sangh Parivar are systematically capturing institutions associated with Mahatma Gandhi and handing them over to ideological opponents. He cited the example of the Sarva Seva Sangh in Varanasi and recalled recent developments at Gujarat Vidyapith. He said individuals aligned with Gandhian and cooperative movements were being marginalised. “Those who can steal Gandhi’s glasses and strike with his stick will never follow his ideals,” he remarked, speaking at the 84th Congress plenary session in Ahmedabad.
He accused the BJP of deliberately portraying Patel and Nehru as adversaries, despite their deep camaraderie. “The truth is they were two sides of the same coin,” he said.
Kharge backed his statements with historical references, quoting Patel’s speech from Gujarat Vidyapith in March 1937. At that time, Nehru was Congress president and Patel had declared that Gujarat would triumph in the elections and welcome Nehru with flowers, showcasing the affection between the two leaders.
He also cited Patel’s praise for Nehru in a 1949 book, in which the former lauded Nehru’s tireless efforts over two difficult years. “No one knows better than me how hard Nehru worked,” Patel had written, acknowledging the toll leadership had taken on him.
Kharge pointed out that Congress Working Committee meetings were often held at Patel’s residence for his convenience, underscoring the mutual respect between the two leaders.
He further reminded the audience that it was Sardar Patel who imposed a ban on the RSS, clearly demonstrating his ideological differences with the group. Kharge said it was ironic that today the same organisation is attempting to claim Patel’s legacy. He added that both Mahatma Gandhi and Patel were instrumental in ensuring Dr B.R. Ambedkar’s membership in the Constituent Assembly.
Highlighting past antagonism, Kharge recalled how the RSS had burned effigies of Gandhi, Nehru, Ambedkar, and the Constitution at Ramleela Maidan. He quoted Ambedkar’s 1949 speech in which he stated that the Constitution could not have been created without Congress’s support and confirmed that the document was not inspired by “Manuwadi” ideals.
Accusing the Modi government of disrespecting national icons, Kharge criticised the relocation of Gandhi and Ambedkar statues to a corner of the Parliament premises. He also rebuked Home Minister Amit Shah for allegedly mocking Ambedkar in Parliament.
Kharge reaffirmed the Congress Party’s commitment to the Constitution and its framers, stating that Sardar Patel lives on in their thoughts and principles. “This is why we chose to hold the CWC meeting at the Sardar Patel Museum in Ahmedabad,” he said, underlining the symbolic significance of the location.
“सत्य लोगों के समर्थन के बिना भी खड़ा रहता है, वह आत्मनिर्भर है”
~ महात्मा गाँधी
आज सत्य, अहिंसा, सौहार्द, एकता, भाईचारा, सद्भावना और समानता के लिए ऐतिहासिक साबरमती आश्रम, अहमदाबाद में हमने प्रार्थना सभा आयोजित की, ताकि ये देश बापू के सिखाए हुए रास्ते पर चलता रहे और इस देश को… pic.twitter.com/AhcxymNPRk
— Mallikarjun Kharge (@kharge) April 8, 2025
