At CWC meeting, Congress vows ‘second freedom struggle’ against 'Modiraj'

On the occasion of 150^th birth anniversary of the ‘Father of the Nation’ Mahatma Gandhi, who led India fight for the independence from the British, the Congress Working Committee on Tuesday called for another “freedom struggle” against the Narendra Modi government for practising the politics of “hatred and violence”.

During the CWC meet at Mahadev Bhavan, Sevagram Ashram, in Wardha district of Maharashtra, the Congress party also condemned the use of force against the protesting farmers who were on their way to the national capital.

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Addressing a press conference, party spokesperson Randeep Singh Surjewala said, “The second freedom struggle will be against the government that practices politics of hate, vendetta, threat, murder, intimidation, crushing healthy debate and dissent.”

The Congress leader accused the Modi government of indulging in the “politics of opportunism”. Without naming the prime minister, Surjewala said that those “appropriating” Mahatma Gandhi now cannot imbibe his values, thoughts, words and deeds.

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“For them, Gandhi is a political opportunity and not a way of life.

“They can only borrow Gandhi’s spectacles for publicity campaigns,” Surjewala said, adding that the Congress will expose the “hollowness and double speak” of such people.

On using force against protesting farmers at UP-Delhi border:

Referring to the use of force on the farmers on their way to Delhi, the Congress leader said they were seeking loan waiver, doubling of their income and a fair price for their produce.

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 “Farmers who had come to seek grievance redressal were beaten up and lathi charged. Water canons and tear gas was also used. We condemn the autocratic Modi government and the prime minister who is drunk with power. We express solidarity with the farmers and resolve to redress their grievances if voted to power,” he said.

This was the second CWC meeting that was held in Wardha after more than 76 years. The first CWC meeting at Wardha was convened in 1942 under the leadership of then Congress President Maulana Azad along with Mahatma Gandhi, Jawaharlal Nehru and Sardar Patel. In the meeting, the ‘Quit India’ resolution was adopted.

(With inputs from agencies)