Kharge calls for organisational accountability in Congress at key party meet

Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge on Sunday, December 4, strongly pitched for organisational accountability from top to bottom in the party, and said those unable to fulfil their responsibilities will have to make way for their colleagues. In his opening remarks at the first meeting of the Congress steering committee constituted by him, Kharge also asked state in-charges to submit a roadmap for holding mass movements on people's issues over a period of 30 to 90 days, and called for a schedule of plans of the party in states where elections are due before 2024.

"I believe that the biggest part of our responsibility towards the party and the country is -- organisational accountability from top to bottom. If the Congress organisation is strong, accountable, lives up to the expectations of the people, then only we will be able to win elections and serve the people of the country," the Congress chief said. In a stern message to office-bearers, Kharge also said that while there are very responsible people in the party who were doing their duty, some people had assumed that lack of responsibility will be ignored.

"This is neither right nor acceptable. Those who are unable to fulfil their responsibility, they will have to make way for their colleagues," he said. He said he would like the general secretaries and state in-charges to first ensure their own responsibility and then the responsibility of the organisation under them. "You should introspect whether as general secretaries and in-charges of states you tour your respective areas under your responsibility for at least 10 days in a month? Have you visited every district, units and discussed issues with party leaders, inquired about local problems and issues?" Kharge said.

Kharge asked the in-charges if all the District Congress and Block Congress Committees have been been formed under them and is the organisation fighting for the people. "Have more and more new faces been given a chance at the block and district levels? How many units are there where the district and block units have not been changed for five years? How many times agitations have taken place on the directives of the AICC on local problems. Is the organisation at the block, district and state levels raising the voice of the sections for raising whose voice they had been formed?" Kharge asked. 

He said unless the general secretaries and in-charges, their secretaries, state Congress presidents, party's MLAs and MPs do not prepare a blueprint for actions at the ground level, their responsibilities cannot be fulfilled. "I hope that all of you will prepare a blueprint for the organisation and mass movements and discuss it with me in the next 15 to 30 days. Members of the Congress Steering Committee and other leaders of the party will also be included in this programme as per the requirement," the Congress chief said.

Kharge also hailed the Bharat Jodo Yatra, saying that it is scripting history under the leadership of Rahul Gandhi. The Bharat Jodo Yatra has now taken the form of a national movement, he said.

"It is a movement that has called for a decisive war against the back-breaking inflation, unemployment, intolerable economic and social inequality, and the politics of hatred in the country," he said. Claiming that crores of people of the country are associated with the resolve of Rahul Gandhi and the Congress, Kharge said among them there are a large number of people who were not associated with the Congress, or used to criticise the party.

The biggest success of this journey is that the Bharat Jodo Yatra has taken the form of a national mass movement, he said. Kharge also highlighted the role played by the party cadre in taking this "nationwide mass movement" to every village, city and person in the country. The Congress president alleged that the Modi government has been attacking the people, their rights and hopes, and it was the responsibility of the Congress to protect them.

"When the monthly budget of the poor or middle class gets upset, then it is an attack on his life. When the country's economy has fallen flat on its face, the country's rupee keeps falling along with the credibility of the government, then it is an attack on the development and progress of the country. When there is no employment for crores of capable youth, and existing jobs also keep decreasing, then it is an attack on the livelihood of the country," Kharge said.

When there is an atmosphere of insecurity among Dalits, tribals, backward, minorities, deprived and exploited people of the country, and the government suppresses their rights every day, then it is an attack on the lives of the people of the country, he said. He also attacked the government over the issue of farmers' plight, saying when the farmer of the country is forced to commit suicide at the doorstep of Delhi, and has to fight with his own government for the guarantee of MSP, then it is an attack on the life of the 'annadaata'.

Kharge said that when the neighbouring country China is trying to occupy India's land and constructing new military set ups every day and the government remains "silent", then it is an attack on the integrity of the country. He also said it is the duty of Congress persons to fight against ruling forces that sow "seeds of hatred" and "reap fruits of division". This is our 'rashtradharm', he added. 

The Congress also announced that it will hold a three-day plenary session in Chhattisgarh's Raipur in the second half of February next year. The party also announced that as a follow-up to the Bharat Jodo Yatra, it will run a massive campaign 'Haath se haath jodo abhiyaan' from January 26 for two months as part of which padayatras will be taken out and a letter from Rahul Gandhi talking about the core message of the yatra will be distributed among the people along with a 'charge sheet' against the Modi government.

The Committee unanimously resolved that the 85th Plenary Session of the Congress will be held at Raipur in the second half of February 2023, Congress general secretary KC Venugopal said at a press conference reading out a party statement. "We will have a discussion on various subjects at this three-day plenary session. There will also be a big public meeting," Venugopal said. He said the steering committee meeting also held a review of the Bharat Jodo Yatra and a future course of action was decided upon. "It has been decided that a massive campaign 'Haath se haath jodo abhiyaan' will be carried out from January 26 for two months. As per this campaign, block level padyatra covering all gram panchayats and booths will be carried out," he said.

Congress general secretary in-charge communications Jairam Ramesh said the party is aiming to finish the Kanyakumari to Srinagar yatra by January 26. It will enter Delhi on December 24 and the containers will be serviced for a few days here, he said. In a statement, the party said the committee noted the "overwhelming success" of the Bharat Jodo Yatra and the wide participation of lakhs of people.

The steering committee was formed in place of the Congress Working Committee (CWC), the highest decision-making body of the party after Kharge took charge in October. All members of the CWC were made part of the steering committee soon after Kharge assumed charge as the Congress president.