Udaipur – A New Milestone of Hope, Aspirations & Change-Randeep Singh Surjewala

India is enduring a painful and vicious assault on its democracy, economy and societal harmony. The Indian National Congress was born out of a determined struggle to liberate India and its people from the shackles of oppression, discrimination, bigotry and the policy of divide and rule. In these trying times, when “Divide and Rule” has become the state policy, we resolve to re-dedicate ourselves to “NAV-SANKALP”, that is, to once again propel India onto the path of progress, prosperity and societal harmony.

Rising to the aspirations of the Nation, the Indian National Congress, will introspect, contemplate and reflect upon the way forward and new milestones to be traversed in the “Nav-Sankalp Chintan Shivir” on 13th, 14th and 15th May, 2022 at Udaipur, Rajasthan.

NAV-SANKALP : WHY?
▪ The insurmountable “wealth inequality” in India means that the wealth of the 142 richest Indians has gone up by ₹30 Lakh Crore in one year whereas the income of 84% of Indian Households dropped drastically. Instead of receiving ₹ 15 Lakh in every account, the existing savings of common people have been lost.

▪ The freefall of the Indian economy has resulted in the Indian Rupee falling to an abysmal level of US $1 = ₹77.50. On the other hand, India’s debt has shockingly risen from ₹ 55 Lakh Crores in the year 2014 to ₹135 Lakh Crores in the year 2022. The Modi Govt takes a debt of ₹4,000 Crores daily. Every Indian has a debt of ₹1,00,000 on his/her head.

▪ The everyday life of the common man has been made hell by back-breaking Price Rise. A Domestic Gas cylinder, which cost ₹410 in the year 2014, now costs ₹ 1,000. In 2014, price of Petrol was ₹71/litre, it has now ballooned to ₹105/litre today; the price of Diesel was ₹56/litre and it has now crossed ₹96.67/litre today. As the Modi Govt earned ₹27 Lakh Crores by taxing Petrol & Diesel, what did the people get? Similar is the pain of excruciatingly high prices of aata, pulses, cooking oil, vegetables, soaps, toothpastes, T.V., fridge and every other consumable good.

▪ The Unemployment rate in India is agonizingly high, at 8%. Over 30 Lakh government posts are lying vacant in GoI, PSU’s & State Govts. The Armed Forces have over 2,55,000 vacancies. The MSME’s are on the verge of closure and lakhs have been forced to shut shop. Instead of creating 2 Crore jobs a year, Crores of existing jobs have been lost.

▪ A deep-rooted conspiracy to hand over farming to a select group of private corporates continues. For the first time in Indian history, agriculture has been taxed by imposing GST – be it on fertilizers, pesticides, tractors & other agricultural equipment. Not a whisper of a discussion takes place about giving a guarantee of MSP to the farmers. MANREGA budget has been mercilessly slashed. Instead of doubling farmers income by 2022, even the guaranteed value of crops is not being paid.

▪ The SC/ST Sub-Plan stands abolished. SC/ST reservations and anti-atrocity laws are under attack. The reservation for Dalits & Backwards is being abolished by rampant sale of PSU’s. Atrocities against Dalits have reached new heights. So much so that the central schemes targeted at SC’s are a mere 4.4% of the total budget. Innate prejudice of central govt can be gauged from the fact that it is refusing to even release the caste census report on the Backward Caste population.

▪ India’s Territorial integrity is under attack. China has forcibly occupied our strategic territory in Ladakh. China is also making hostile incursions into our territory in Arunanchal Pradesh and setting up new villages. Construction of missile batteries, helipads, bunkers and strategic roads in Doklam is an affront to India’s Sovereignty. The Modi Govt has failed to push China back to the LAC and protect our motherland. While the Central Govt claims false bravado by banning Chinese apps, it is a party to the import of Chinese goods worth US $97 Billion per year.

To put a lid over these unfathomable challenges beyond its grasp or comprehension, the Modi Govt promotes toxic religious divisions and bigotry to target India’s minorities, particularly the Muslims, Christians and the Sikhs. It sows the seeds of lethal religious divisions between Hindus and Muslims and uses this terminal politics in its quest for electoral victory.

The issue of Development-Progress-Prosperity-Education-Schools-Roads-Hospitals-Infrastructure-Industry-Employment-Agriculture are no longer electoral issues in our Country today. To the contrary, BJP sponsored issues are Shamsan/Kabristan, Bulldozer, Loudspeaker, Mandir vs. Masjid vs. Church vs. Gurudwara, changing names of roads & monuments, creating division on the basis of clothing and food habits etc. Tragically, a large section of the Media is being used by the BJP to spread the seeds of hatred and division.

This is the biggest challenge before the Nation and its citizens today.
• Can the Country be run like this?
• Can the Country progress in this fashion?
• Can the Country propel forward?
• Will the India of the future be founded upon religious and Caste based divisions and economic disparity?
• Is this the India of the dreams of Gandhi-Nehru-Patel-Bose-Tilak-Ambedkar-Maulana Azad-Rajinder Prasad-Bhagat Singh-Bismil-Ashfaq Ullah Khan and crores of freedom fighters?

As India is plagued by the painful lines of division and hatred, it is obligatory on the Indian National Congress to defend the ethos of the Indian Nation and find lasting solutions for peaceful co-existence. We know that India expects us to review our organizational dexterity, capacity, capability, but also to adapt ourselves to the current situation and challenges.

This is the essence of “Nav-Sankalp Chintan Shivir”.

NAV-SANKALP : WHAT?

The Bulldozer of bigotry, superstition, sectarianism, fanaticism, injustice and intolerance heaped upon the Nation by the BJP Govt has to a large extent trampled upon India’s march ahead. The Indian National Congress has therefore chosen 6 subjects and constituted groups to examine and submit their primary reports on actionables for the same. These groups are Political, Social Justice & Empowerment, Economy, Congress Organization, Kisan & Khet Mazdoor and Youth. These groups will present their first impressions for a conclusive discussion during the Chintan Shivir.

The 430 invitees to Chintan Shivir will be divided amongst different groups and they shall discuss and deliberate over a period of 3 days, various facets and challenges, in order to lay down a road map. The conclusions thereof shall be presented to the Congress President, and thereafter to the Congress Working Committee, for final shape and approval.

The road map shall provide a way forward not only to the Congress Party to meet up with the current set of reverses and challenges, but will also pave the way for a resilient, strong and inclusive Nation.