Congress' Chintan Shivir: Sonia targets PM Modi, says minorities being 'brutalised'

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Congress Chintan Shivir: Congress chief Sonia Gandhi on Friday launched a blistering attack on Prime Minister Narendra Modi, charging that it has become clear that his mantra of 'minimum government, maximum governance' means keeping the country in a permanent state of polarisation, "brutalising" minorities and "threatening" political opponents. In her inaugural address at the party's 'Chintan Shivir' here, she urged delegates to deliberate with an open mind and send out a clear message of strong organisation and unity. She said the Shivir is also an occasion to deliberate on the many challenges ahead of us and bring organisational changes. “It is both 'Chintan' about national issues and meaningful 'aatmachintan' (self-introspection) about our party organisation,” she said.

Gandhi charged that it has become “painfully clear” what Prime Minister Modi and his colleagues really meany by their frequently used slogan of maximum governance, minimum government. “It means keeping the country in a permanent state of polarisation, compelling people to stay in a constant state of fear and insecurity. It means viciously targeting, victimising and brutalising minorities who are an integral part of our society and equal citizens of our republic,” she charged. “It means using our societies age old pluralities to divide us and subverting a carefully nurtured idea of unity and diversity. It means threatening and intimidating political opponents, maligning their reputation, jailing them on flimsy pretexts using investigative agencies” Gandhi further alleged. She urged party leaders to keep the organisation above personal ambitions, saying the party has given us a lot and it's time to pay back. Noting that changes in organisation are the need of the hour, she said, “We need to change the way of our working”.

The Congress is considering enforcing the ‘One family, one ticket’ formula with the exception only when another family member has been working for at least five years in the party. The Congress is holding a crucial three-day-long brainstorming session in Rajasthan’s Udaipur on May 13, 14 and 15. The 'Nav Sankalp Chintan Shivir' is being held in the backdrop of a string of electoral defeats and dissent in the party for the past many years. The Shivir will focus on time-bound party restructuring, finding ways to combat politics of polarisation and getting battle-ready for upcoming electoral challenges. 

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Chintan Shivir began today afternoon following which over 400 delegates will discuss subject-specific issues across six groups. Every group will have 60 to 70 people. No paper discussion will take place. These discussions will continue on the first and second day and the conclusions will be recorded in the form of a declaration, a draft of which will be discussed at the CWC meeting to be held there on the third and last day. Congress general secretary Ajay Maken said “big changes” are in store for the party organisation and it will completely transform its working style going forward. 

Agenda for discussion 

1. The "One Family One Ticket" strategy is one of the main agendas for discussion at the Congress' three-day Chintan Shivir. 
2.  Leaders' will emphasize on discussions over 'communal polarization', farmers' issues and strengthening the party for the upcoming elections. 
3. Leaders will discuss the Centre-State relationship, the situation of the northeastern states and the Jammu and Kashmir issue.
4. There will be discussions on the issues like public sector disinvestment, rising inflation, minority issues and women's issues, while youth will discuss New Education Policy and rising unemployment. 
5. The Agriculture Committee will discuss the legalisation of MSP, loan waiver and the wheat price issue. 
6. On the part of the organisation committee, the national, state, district and block level reforms will be discussed.
7. Capping at five years holding of a post with a cooling off period of three years
8. Setting up of an assessment wing to monitor performance of office bearers
9. A proposal is being considered that 50 per cent party positions be reserved for those less than 50 years of age in party committees at every level of the Congress organisation.
10. There is unanimity on establishing mandal committees between booth and block level in party organisation. 
11. Party is deliberating on setting up a ‘public insight department’ to ascertain views of the people and carry out surveys for getting battle ready for elections. 
12. Party is also working on a mechanism for enforcing stricter discipline. 

The moto of Congress behind holding the exercise is to deliberate upon the 2024 Lok Sabha elections. The focus of Chintan Shivir will be formulating an action plan for the party, and steps to be taken to strengthen the organisation.

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