In a veiled threat held out to the TRS government, AICC general secretary Digvijay Singh warned that attempts to discriminate against people of other regions would not be tolerated. Those who migrated to Telangana from different parts of the country have all the rights of the citizens of India. The Congress will stand by all such families and fight for their rights. “This country is for all and one can’t discriminate against anyone,” he remarked.
Addressing the concluding session of the two-day party workshop here on Monday, Mr. Singh also criticised the government’s move to pressurise the print and electronic media. The Telugu press is the most vibrant and aggressive in the country and the Congress will see that its voice is not muzzled, he said.
In a short speech delivered at the end of the day long session, he asked Congressmen to get ready for the elections ahead. Commenting on the Narendra Modi government, he said in the 18 elections held since the new government came to power, the NDA had won 7 and UPA 11 seats.
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The two-day session held on Sunday and Monday saw 470 Congressmen taking part in group meetings and giving their suggestions, which were incorporated in the resolutions. They took note of the challenges being faced by the party in the newly formed Telangana State and resolved to rededicate themselves to the party’s core values of democracy, equality and social justice.
At least 15 members openly said that discipline had no meaning in the Congress. A party worker is suspended and expelled and soon he is back in the party and given a ticket. “Once the high command takes a decision, everyone should fall in line – however big he might be,” said former PCC president, D. Srinivas.
Former Union Minister Jaipal Reddy asked party men not to lose hope as the party would rise sphinx like and storm back to power as it did earlier. The anti-incumbency factor and wild promises by TRS worked against it. The party also failed in effectively conveying its role in the creation of Telangana.
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The political resolution moved by Mr. Jana Reddy promised to fulfil the aspirations of people of Telangana, particularly the poor and marginalised sections by securing the fruits of development. Although some parties were trying to take credit, Telangana wouldn’t have been a reality but for the ‘political will’ demonstrated by AICC president Sonia Gandhi and former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh.
The party accepted the verdict given by the people of Telangana and decided to ensure that all promises made by the party in the government were fulfilled, particularly the loan waiver, construction of two-bedroom houses for the poor and provision of 3 acre land to SCs and STs.