Diabolical designs on farmers: Congress Working Committee

Resolution says India no longer considered a democracy, has earned the label of ‘electoral autocracy’

October 16, 2021 07:28 pm | Updated 11:32 pm IST - New Delhi

Congress interim president Sonia Gandhi and others during the Congress Working Committee (CWC) meeting, in New Delhi on October 16, 2021.

Congress interim president Sonia Gandhi and others during the Congress Working Committee (CWC) meeting, in New Delhi on October 16, 2021.

The Congress Working Committee (CWC) on Saturday adopted three strongly worded resolutions on inflation, the on-going farmers’ protests and the country’s political situation, especially the border stand off with China, and the deteriorating security situation in Jammu and Kashmir after Taliban’s takeover of Afghanistan.

The party also decided to hit the streets over the issue of runaway inflation by undertaking a jan jagaran abhiyan (people’s awareness campaign) between November 14 and 29, and announced a series of training programmes for its leaders and workers on grass root management, election management and the failures of the Narendra Modi government.

 

The first such training will take place at Sewagram, Wardha in (Maharashtra) between November 12 and 15.

‘Diabolical, arrogant’

On the issue of farmers, the CWC alleged that the last seven years have witnessed a “diabolical design” to attack the livelihood of annadatas and landless farm labourers.

The CWC said the “brutal” mowing down of farmers in Lakhimpur Kheri was a manifestation of the government's continuing “arrogance” and slammed Prime Minister Narendra Modi for not removing the Union Minister whose son has been arrested in connection with the incident.

 

In a resolution on the political situation in the country, the CWC said the “assault on democratic institutions completes the sad and shameless narrative of the Modi government” and claimed that India is no longer regarded as a democracy and has earned the label of an “electoral autocracy”.

The Congress alleged that independent watchdog bodies like the Information Commission, the Election Commission and the Human Rights Commission have been “debased and rendered virtual ciphers”.

The CWC expressed alarm over what it said was “rapid deterioration” in the security of the country — both external and internal.

“Nearly 18 months after the clashes in Ladakh in which 20 soldiers lost their lives, Chinese troops continue to be in occupation of Indian territory. Despite multiple rounds of talks, China has not vacated Indian territory, nor have we been able to recover our old positions,” the political resolution said.

“The aggressive posture of China and the unabated infiltrations by Pakistan have resulted in a dramatic deterioration of the security of Jammu & Kashmir (J&K). After the change in regime in Afghanistan and the takeover by the Taliban, the situation is even graver, but the Government remains oblivious or in deep slumber,” it added.

Calling the administration of J&K as incompetent, the CWC demanded the restoration of full statehood and holding of democratic elections.

The resolution also stated that in other parts of the country, notably in Assam, Nagaland and Mizoram, inter-State disputes have flared up, driving fear in the minds of the people.

Expressing grave concern over the Centre’s move to grant more powers to the Border Security Force, that now has search and seizure powers upto 50 kms from the border in States like Assam, West Bengal and Punjab, the CWC said, “This is a dangerous encroachment on the exclusive power of the States and the powers of the State police”.

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