Belagavi (Karnataka) [India], December 26 (ANI): The Congress Party on Thursday announced the launch of a massive, nationwide public outreach campaign called the Samvidhan Bachao Rashtriya Padayatra between January 26, 2025, and January 26, 2026, in which all leaders will participate.
In a statement, the party also informed that they’ll launch Jai Bapu, Jai Bhim, Jai Samvidhan Abhiyan, beginning with a rally in Belagavi on December 27 and culminating in a rally at Mhow on January 26, 2025, commemorating the 75th anniversary of the Constitution.
“The CWC met today in Belagavi, Karnataka to commemorate the 100th anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi’s historic Presidency of the Indian National Congress at its 39th Session in 1924. As the nation has just celebrated the 75th anniversary of the adoption of our Constitution, it is also appropriate that we pay this tribute to him. Mahatma Gandhi’s statement of November 19, 1939, was pivotal to the establishment of the Constituent Assembly seven years later,” the party’s statement said.
Targeting the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) over Home Minister Amit Shah’s recent remark on BR Ambedkar, the Congress said that the Union Minister’s denigration of Ambedkar in Parliament is the latest instance of the RSS-BJP’s decades-long project to undermine the Constitution. They also reiterated their demand for Shah’s resignation.
“Unfortunately, as we enter the 75th year of our Republic in exactly a month’s time, the Constitution faces its gravest threat yet. Jawaharlal Nehru had said that “there is no doubt that no one took greater care and trouble over Constitution making than Dr. Ambedkar.” The Union Home Minister’s denigration of Dr Babasaheb Ambedkar in Parliament is the latest instance of the RSS-BJP’s decades-long project to undermine the Constitution. The CWC reiterates the demand for the Union Home Minister’s resignation as well as for an apology to the nation from him,” the party said.
Citing the example of the One Nation, One Election bill, the Congress said that the Constitution’s federal structure continues to be under attack.
“The CWC is also profoundly distressed by the ongoing degradation of our democracy. Institutions such as the judiciary, the Election Commission, and the media have been politicised through executive pressure. Parliament has been gutted, as shown by the unprecedented obstruction of its proceedings by the treasury benches in the recently concluded Winter Session of 2024. The Constitution’s federal structure continues to be under attack, most recently from the Government’s One Nation, One Election bill,” it said.
The party further condemned the amendment to the Conduct of Election Rules 1961 saying that the move undermines the principles of transparency and accountability that form the cornerstone of free and fair elections.
“The CWC condemns the Centre’s amendment to the Conduct of Election Rules 1961 undertaken on the recommendation of the Election Commission of India which restricts public access to crucial sections of poll documents. This undermines the principles of transparency and accountability that form the cornerstone of free and fair elections. We have challenged these amendments in the Supreme Court. The way elections have been conducted in Haryana and Maharashtra especially have already eroded the integrity of the electoral process,” the party said.
Congress also criticised Prime Minister Narendra Modi for not visiting violence-hit Manipur since May 2023, and said, “The CWC is deeply concerned by the state-sponsored increase in communal and ethnic hatred, particularly targeted against minority communities. Manipur, which has been burning since May 2023, continues to be met with indifference by the Prime Minister and his Government. The Prime Minister has not visited this troubled state ever since violence erupted in May 2023.”
Highlighting the communal tension in Uttar Pradesh’s Sambhal, the party said that the Places of Worship Act, 1991 has come under needless and reckless debate.
“Communal tension has deliberately been stoked in Sambhal and other places for the RSS-BJP’s narrow political gain. The Places of Worship Act, 1991 to which the Indian National Congress is firmly committed in letter and spirit has also come under needless and reckless debate,” it said.
“The CWC also condemns in the strongest possible terms, the manner in which peaceful protests by the Congress party were dealt with by the governments in BJP-ruled states like Assam and UP. A number of Congress workers lost their lives. This is totally unacceptable, and it only reflects the anti-democratic mindset of the BJP,” the party added.
The CWC further demanded a socio-economic caste census saying that the reservations must be based on social, economic, or educational backwardness determined through appropriate means.
“The CWC demands that a socio-economic caste census be conducted at the earliest. The 50% ceiling on reservations for scheduled castes, scheduled tribes, and OBCs must be increased so as to further enhance the benefits accrued to these three traditionally disadvantaged groups of our society. Reservations must be on the basis of social, economic, or educational backwardness determined through appropriate means,” it said.
CWC also demanded the Central Government use the upcoming Union Budget to provide income support to the poor and tax relief for the middle classes.
“The economy has experienced a sharp slowdown even as prices of essential commodities continue to rise. The Modi Government’s economic policies are designed to enrich only a few of the PM’s favourite business groups. Oligopolies in the economy are growing. While more and more Indians have a stake in capital markets, the integrity of regulators has been called into serious question. Private investment, which must drive faster economic growth, is still extremely sluggish and mass consumption is stagnating. The CWC demands that the Government use the upcoming Union Budget to provide income support to the poor and tax relief for the middle classes. GST has become an absurdity and the CWC reiterates its demand for a GST 2.0 that will be a truly Good and Simple Tax – both on paper and in practice. Tax terrorism on industry, trade, and commerce must end,” it said.
“The CWC strongly criticizes the Union Government for its blatant neglect of agriculture and rural employment. Farmers are grappling with rising input costs and inadequate MSPs, while promises like doubling farmers’ income remain unfulfilled. The deliberate underfunding and weakening of MGNREGA has left millions of vulnerable families struggling for survival. The CWC demands immediate corrective measures, including legal guarantee for MSP and its fixation at 50% of the comprehensive cost of cultivation, and adequate funding for MGNREGA, along with an increase in its wage rate to Rs 400 a day,” the party added.
The CWC reiterated its demand that the government take the Opposition into confidence and allow a full discussion in Parliament regarding the situation along the LAC.
“The CWC notes the External Affairs Minister’s (EAM) announcement regarding the disengagement between Indian and Chinese troops in eastern Ladakh. This falls far short of India’s stated goal of restoring the April 2020 status quo and represents the nation’s biggest territorial setback in decades. The CWC reiterates its demand that the government take the Opposition into confidence and allow a full discussion in Parliament regarding the situation along the LAC. The CWC also notes with concern the recent increase in attacks on religious minorities in Bangladesh. We strongly urge the Union Government to work with the Interim Government of Bangladesh to ensure their safety and wellbeing,” they said.
“The CWC highlights the electrifying impact of the Bharat Jodo Yatra (BJY) and the Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra (BJNY) on the entire nation. The idea of launching the BJY originated from the Udaipur Chintan Shivir in May 2022. The extraordinary success of the BJY led to the BJNY. To sustain the momentum generated by these transformative movements, significant reforms within the organization at all levels are imperative. While recognizing that organisational renewal is a continuing process, it must be accelerated and intensified now. The CWC commends the initiative of the Congress President in launching the Sangathan Srijan Karyakram which is set to be implemented right away on a priority basis,” the party added.
“The CWC and the Indian National Congress are fiercely committed to protecting the Indian Constitution and the ideals of the Indian Independence Movement. Accordingly, the Indian National Congress will launch the Jai Bapu, Jai Bhim, Jai Samvidhan Abhiyan, beginning with a rally in Belagavi on December 27th and culminating in a rally at Mhow on January 26th, 2025, commemorating the 75th anniversary of the Constitution coming into force and the founding of our Republic. During this month, rallies and marches will be organized in every block, district, and state as well,” the party’s statement said.
Congress further informed that an AICC session will be held in Gujarat in the first half of April 2025
“Given the urgency of the need to preserve, protect, and promote the legacy of Mahatma Gandhi, as well as that of the Constitution, this movement will extend beyond January 26th, 2025, as well. Between January 26, 2025 and January 26, 2026, the Indian National Congress will launch a massive, nationwide public outreach campaign called the Samvidhan Bachao Rashtriya Padayatra in which all leaders will participate. This Padayatra will be from village to village, township to township in the form of a relay. The details will be announced shortly. Finally, an AICC session will be held in Gujarat in the first half of April 2025,” it said. (ANI)
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