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Congress sets strategy in

Gujarat for Lok Sabha polls

The CWC meeting held in Gujarat after a gap of 58 years coincided with the 89th
Hard anniversary of Dandi March that wrote a new chapter in India’s Independence struggle
LIne with the launch of ‘Salt Satyagraha’. Is the oldest political party out to prove its salt?

Anil Singh oinciding with the 89th anniver- send a message ahead of a crucial General
sary of Dandi March to commem- Election. Rahul Gandhi had already projected
orate the anniversary of Ma- on March 11 the 2019 elections as a fight
The columnist is hatma Gandhi inaugurating a new between “Mahatma Gandhi’s idea of India and
Executive Editor of C chapter in India’s Independence Nathuram Godse’s idea of India”, in a tweet.
News24 news struggle by launching the ‘Salt Satyagraha’ to
channel. The views Dandi on March 12, 1930, the Congress Work- The CWC message
here expressed are the ing Committee (CWC), Congress party’s top The CWC meeting, held at Sardar Patel Na-
author’s own policy-making body, convened its one-day tional Memorial in Ahmedabad, began with
meeting at Ahmedabad The CWC meeting a moment of silence for the CRPF jawans
held in Gujarat after a gap of 58 years, first killed in the Pulwama attack. The meet-
scheduled to be held in February this year, ing was opened by former prime minister
was postponed in the wake of the Pulwama Manmohan Singh, who while highlighting
terror attack on February 14 and the air the failures of the NDA government led by PM
strikes by India across the Line of Control on a Modi on the front of economy and employ-
terror camp in Balakot. ment and the resultant agrarian crisis, slow
Prior to participating in the CWC meeting, industrial growth and rising unemployment;
top Congress leadership including UPA chair- also called upon the Congress cadres to recall
person Mrs. Sonia Gandhi, former Prime Min- the achievements of the UPA government
ister Manmohan Singh, Congress president on the front of economy, social inclusion and
Rahul Gandhi, Congress general-secretary growth to say people need to be reminded of
Priyanka Gandhi, and other senior Congress the work done by the erstwhile Congress led
leaders including chief ministers of the government. Dr Singhalso flagged religious
Congress-ruled stress, paid a visit to Mahatma and communal divisiveness occurring in the
Gandhi’s ashramat Sabarmati. They also paid Indian society under the tutelage of the NDA
tribute to soldiers at a memorial before head- Government.
ing to Sardar Patel National Memorial for the In veiled references to post Pulwama
Congress has not CWC meeting. events, the UPA chairperson Sonia accused
Some observers have opined that by
the ruling dispensation at the Centre of politi-
only kicked off selecting Ahmedabad as the venue of CWC cizing issues of national interest. She further
its campaign for meeting, Congress has not only kicked off its added that the PM Modi was playing a victim
campaign for the general election but is look-
and the fact is people are suffering because
the Lok Sabha ing to send out a strong political message to of his policies. Congress spokesperson Anand
poll but is also the entire nation from the land of Mahatma Sharma said that it was regretful for India that
the PM was trying to divide the nation and
Gandhi and Sardar Patel to project the same
looking to send to be seen as a challenge or an act of aggres- put the country in a bad light for his politi-
out a strong sion on the turf of Prime Minister Narendra cal gains. The meeting was followed by Jan
Modi and Amit Shah and showcase a battle-
Sankalp Rally, which was addressed by Rahul
political message ready, strategy-rich Congress. Gandhi.
The CWC authorized its president to
In response to PM Modi’s use of a blog on
to entire nation the occasion to remember Mahatma Gandhi decide on electoral alliances keeping in view
from the land of and attack the “dynastic and corruption rid- the larger party goal of defeating the BJP.
While posting the photos of the CWC meeting
den Gandhi family”, the top Congress brass
Mahatma Gandhi also harnessed the symbolism of the day to Rahul Gandhi tweeted: “On the anniversary

tehelka / 31 march 2019 34 www.tehelka.com