New Delhi: The Congress party will champion the cause of the hapless people, asserted Rahul Gandhi as he took over as president on Saturday with “deepest humility.” At a function at the Congress headquarters in New Delhi, his mother Sonia Gandhi retired as president after leading the party for a record 19 years. Sonia, who took over in 1998 after the assassination of her husband Rajeev, led the party in power for 10 years.

In his first official address as party president, Rahul lambasted the BJP for “spreading fire and violence” in the country. “The PM is taking us back to the medieval times,” Rahul said.

“The Congress took India to the 21st century, but the PM today is taking us back to the medieval times. We are now being compelled to imagine that businesses can be built without harmony; that only one man himself is the voice of reason; and that expertise, experience and knowledge can be cast aside for personal glory,” he said.

Rahul urged the workers to challenge those who control the “machinery of fear” and “silence the voice of ordinary Indians.” “You have an example in front of you. Once fire breaks out it is difficult to douse it. That is what we are telling the people of BJP, that if you set the nation on fire it will be difficult to control. Today, the BJP has spread the fire of violence across the country,” he said.

“We, the Congress, have always fought for our brothers and sisters. We consider the BJP our brothers and sisters even though we don’t agree with them. They want a ‘Congress-free’ India. We do not fight hate with hate.” Earlier he was formally handed over the election certificate for being chosen the party president unopposed.

In her farewell address, Sonia Gandhi urged the party to work to “safeguard values on which the country was founded.” “Today is the final time I will speak to you as the president of the Congress,” Sonia told the crowd at the party headquarters. “We aren’t the type to be afraid or bow down. We are fighting for the soul of this country. “The fundamental values of India are being attacked on a daily basis and an environment of fear being created.

“Rahul is my son, so I do not think for me to praise him is right but I would say that since childhood he had to bear the brunt of violence, after joining politics he had to face blatant personal attacks, that have made him a stronger person.” An emotional Sonia recounted her rollercoaster journey of having led the party through some trying times over the years. “Indira treated me like a daughter,” she recalled. “From her I learnt about the culture and principles that India is founded upon.

“When she was assassinated in 1984, I felt like my own mother had been snatched away.” She then narrated her feelings as she was called in to lead. “Twenty years ago, when I was elected as Congress President, I was nervous about this new role. I was anxious on how to uphold the heritage of the party. I became part of this family during revolutionary times.

Rahul ripped into the BJP and Modi in his speech. “What we are seeing today is politics devoid of kindness and truth. Politics is being used to crush and not to uplift people,” Rahul said.

He addressed southern India in English as well. “For my friends in the South, I should say that the difference between the BJP and Congress is that they speak about themselves, whereas as we speak about others.” “Like millions of Indians, I am an idealist. I joined politics because of my profound belief in my countrymen.”