At CWC meet, Congress calls for 'second freedom struggle' against Modi govt

The Congress Working Committee on Tuesday called for a "second freedom struggle" against the Modi government to combat the ideology of "hate and violence", saying the same reason had led to the assassination of Mahatma Gandhi. The CWC has also adopted a resolution calling upon the entire nation to "determinedly fight the politics of fear, intimidation, lies and deception".

Congress President Rahul Gandhi, former Congress president Sonia Gandhi, former prime minister Manmohan Singh and other senior leaders at a function on the birth anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi, at Sevagram, Wardha. PTI Photo

SEVAGRAM: The Congress Working Committee on Tuesday called for a "second freedom struggle" against the Modi government to combat the ideology of "hate and violence", saying the same reason had led to the assassination of Mahatma Gandhi. The CWC has also adopted a resolution calling upon the entire nation to "determinedly fight the politics of fear, intimidation, lies and deception". This was the second CWC meeting to be held at Sevagram after more than 75 years. The first one was convened in 1942 under the leadership of Mahatma Gandhi to adopt the 'Quit India' resolution. The CWC meeting was presided over by Rahul Gandhi and attended among others by UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi and former prime minister Manmohan Singh. In the resolution, the CWC blamed the Modi government for imposing an "artificial uniformity" in a nation of "extraordinary diversity" and accused it of practising the politics of "hate and vendetta" and the politics of "subverting all Constitutional values and principles". It alleged that the saffron party only sees "election opportunities" in Mahatma Gandhi. "One may borrow Mahatma's spectacles for publicity campaigns but implementing his vision will remain unfulfilled unless his principles are followed," the CWC said. Addressing a press conference, party spokesperson Randeep Singh Surjewala said: "Today, a new freedom struggle is urgent need of the hour- a message moment to combat the forces of divisiveness and prejudice, to confront the Modi government whose politics is the politics of hatred and intimidation, the politics of polarization and indecisiveness." "The second freedom struggle will be against the government that practices politics of hate, vendetta, threat, murder, intimidation, crushing healthy debate and dissent," he said. According to Surjewala, Congress chief Rahul Gandhi said at the CWC meeting that two ideologies were celebrating Mahatma Gandhi today. "Mahatma Gandhi is in the soul of Congress, its thinking, path and vision. Ideology of (Nathuram) Godse which had killed Gandhiji cannot imbibe his thought," he said.