Kharge Questions BJP’s Claim on Patel, Calls Out RSS’s Double Standards
Newz Daddy Gujarat Politics Updates
Opening Remarks by Congress President Shri Mallikarjun Kharge at the Extended CWC, Ahmedabad – 08 April 2025
Respected leader of the Congress Parliamentary Party, Smt. Sonia Gandhi ji, Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha Shri Rahul Gandhi ji, and all respected members of the Extended CWC,
I welcome you all to today’s meeting.
This year marks 100 years since Mahatma Gandhi became the President of the Indian National Congress. He took this position in December 1924 at the Congress session held in Belgaum, Karnataka – my home state. We celebrated this centenary on 26th December in Karnataka.
Friends, three great personalities from the land of Gujarat made the Congress Party proud across the world.
Dadabhai Naoroji, Mahatma Gandhi, and Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel – all three were Presidents of our Congress Party.
Gandhiji gave us the powerful tools of truth and non-violence to fight against injustice. These are such strong principles that no force can stand against them.
Today, the real issues of the country are being ignored by creating communal divisions. On the other side, a few wealthy people are taking control of the country’s resources and trying to dominate the government.
Friends, just like the Champaran Satyagraha under Gandhiji’s leadership helped the Congress take root in villages, the Bardoli Satyagraha and other farmer movements in Gujarat under Sardar Patel also made history.
This year on 31st October, we will celebrate the 150th birth anniversary of Sardar Patel. Pandit Nehru used to call him the “Founder of India’s Unity.” We will celebrate his birth anniversary with full enthusiasm across the country.
Sardar Patel was a Congress President. Under his leadership, the Karachi Congress passed the resolution on Fundamental Rights, which later became the soul of our Constitution.
He also led the important ‘Advisory Committee on Fundamental Rights, Minorities, and Tribal and Excluded Areas’ in the Constituent Assembly.
Friends, in recent years, there has been a planned attempt to distort the image of many national heroes.
There is a continuous effort to defame the Congress Party, which has a proud 140-year-old history of service and struggle.
This defamation is being done by those who have no achievements of their own and who made no contribution to India’s freedom struggle.
They try to show that Sardar Patel and Pandit Nehru were enemies.
But the truth is they were like two sides of the same coin. Many events and documents prove the deep bond they shared.
I want to mention a special speech by Sardar Patel in 1937 at Gujarat Vidyapith. At that time, Nehruji was the Congress President. The youth of Gujarat wanted him to come for election campaigning.
On 7th March 1937, Sardar Patel said, “When Gujarat wins this election campaign and shows its loyalty to Congress, we will welcome our Congress President Nehruji with flowers and open hearts.”
This shows how much affection Sardar had for Nehru.
On 14th October 1949, in Nehruji’s tribute volume, Patel said, “No one knows better than me how hard Nehruji has worked for the country in the past two difficult years. I have seen him age quickly under the heavy burden of responsibility.”
These are all on public record. They used to exchange letters almost daily. Nehruji took Patelji’s advice on many matters.
Nehruji deeply respected Patel Sahib. If he needed advice, he would personally go to his home. Congress Working Committee meetings were held at Patelji’s residence for his convenience.
Friends, Sardar Patel’s thoughts were completely opposite to the RSS ideology. In fact, he had banned the RSS.
But today, it is ironic that the same RSS claims Patel’s legacy.
Gandhi ji and Sardar Patel played key roles in making Dr. Babasaheb Ambedkar a member of the Constituent Assembly.
On 25th November 1949, in his final speech in the Assembly, Dr. Ambedkar himself said, “Without the cooperation of the Congress Party, the Constitution could not have been made.”
But when the Constitution was made, RSS heavily criticized Gandhiji, Nehruji, Dr. Ambedkar, and Congress. They even burned their effigies at Ramlila Maidan and said that the Constitution did not follow Manu’s ideals.
The Modi government has insulted Gandhi ji and Babasaheb Ambedkar by moving their grand statues to a corner of the new Parliament complex.
Even the Home Minister mocked Babasaheb in Rajya Sabha by saying, “You people keep saying Ambedkar, Ambedkar, Ambedkar – if you took God’s name that much, you’d go to heaven for seven lives.”
The Congress Party respects the Constitution and its makers and knows how to protect them.
Sardar Patel Sahib lives in our hearts and minds. We are carrying forward his legacy. That’s why this CWC meeting is being held at the ‘Sardar Patel Museum’ in Ahmedabad – to pay our heartfelt tribute to him.
Today, BJP and RSS people are taking over institutions connected to Gandhiji and handing them over to those who oppose his ideas.
In Varanasi, they took over the Sarva Seva Sangh. You all know what happened at Gujarat Vidyapith. Gandhian people and those from the cooperative movement are being sidelined.
These kinds of people may steal Gandhiji’s glasses and stick, but they can never follow his ideals. Gandhiji’s ideological legacy is our real strength – and only the Congress truly holds it.
Gujarat has always been a strong support for Congress in its 140-year journey. Today, we are here once again to draw inspiration and strength from this land.
Our real strength lies in our belief in unity, integrity, and social justice.
But to take these ideals forward, we first need to strengthen ourselves – and our organization.
I want to end with one of Sardar Patel’s quotes:
“Without organization, numbers mean nothing. Numbers without organization are not a real strength. When threads are separate, they are just threads. But when they are woven together, they become cloth – strong, beautiful, and useful.”
In tomorrow’s Congress Session, we will have the chance to speak and listen to many important ideas. We will discuss the challenges in front of the party and find a path ahead.
A draft of the proposals for the Ahmedabad Session has been shared with you. Please give your suggestions. Dialogue is the only way forward.
With this, I conclude. Thank you all.
Jai Hind – Jai Congress!
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