Will the Congress Party be able to come out with significant decisions that may have far-reaching consequences when it holds the two-day extended session of its highest decision-making body, the Congress Working Committee in Belgavi, Karnataka? The session, which began Thursday, is being held to mark the 100th anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi’s presidency at the party’s historic Belagavi session in 1924.

Congress To Emphasise On Protecting Constitution

The Grand Old Party will also organise a rally in Belagavi called ‘Jai Bhim, Jai Samvidhan’ days after the entire opposition bloc of INDIA rallied behind it.

President Mallikarjun Kharge, Rahul Gandhi, Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, and state Congress chief DK Shivakumar will address the rally to emphasise on how to defend the Constitution that has allegedly come under attack from the ruling BJP,

Members of the CWC, chief ministers of the Congress-ruled states, and state unit presidents will also discuss “short and medium-term action plans” of the party to rejuvenate it and take on the saffron party. It is being held weeks after the party got a severe drubbing in the Maharashtra Assembly Elections.

The session of the Congress began on Thursday at Veera Soudha, the venue of the 1924 Congress meeting.

Congress’ 1924 Belgavi Session

The present session of the Congress Party is also significant in the sense that the ‘Belgaum’ session of 1924, led by Mahatma Gandhi, proved to be watershed moment as it outlined the vision for non-violence, communal harmony, and swaraj, that shaped the future freedom movement of the country.

The Belgavi session was important as Gandhiji’s chairmanship led to important changes in both the organisational structure and functioning of the Congress party.

The Grand Old Party is celebrating “Belgaum” session, as it is extending its working committee’s session by two days.

Congress Action Plan

The CWC meeting will discuss the action plan of the grand old party for the next year and adopt two resolutions at a time when it turned the table on the BJP on the issue of the Indian Constitution and Dalit icon Dr. B R Ambedkar.

The Congress raised a hullaballoo against Home Minister Amit Shah for what it called an insult to the Dalit icon. Trying to drive home the point that the Mallikarjun Kharge-led party didn’t follow the party of Ambedkar, he said, “Abhi ek fashion ho gaya hai – Ambedkar, Ambedkar, Ambedkar, Ambedkar, Ambedkar, Ambedkar. Itna naam agar bhagwan ka lete to saat janmon tak swarg mil jata.”

All hell broke loose after this. Entire opposition joined hands with the Congress in attacking the Home Minister and the BJP for allegedly insulting Ambedkar.

Will Congress Up Ante On Ambedkar Row?

Congress may up the ante and further consolidate its position on what it has done in both houses of the Parliament.

Referring to the controversy, Kharge said Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the union government are not ready to accept the mistake. He said that far from seeking an apology and resignation from Shah, the BJP and the government supported the objectionable comment.

Taking lessons from the 1924 Belgavi session, Kharge emphasised on Thursday the need to find people who are ideologically committed. He also said that the party is ready to fight to protect the Constitution and who believes in the Idea of India and of the Congress.

He said, “There is also a need to raise local and new leadership. We have the power of ideas, the legacy of Gandhi-Nehru and the heritage of great leaders. We will return from Belgaum with a new message and new resolution.”

Kharge reiterated that the Congress will fight for the Gandhi-Nehru ideology and respect for Dr. Ambedkar.

BJP Questions Belgavi Session

Meanwhile, the BJP has tried to upstage the Congress applecart. Hitting back at the grand old party, Union Minister for Heavy Industries and Steel, H D Kumarswamy called it is the ‘nakli’ Congress which held centenary celebration of Belgavi Congress session by spending tax payers’ money.

Attacking the Kharge-led party, he said, “Gandhi himself had asked to dissolve (“visarjan”) that Congress. Original Congress is broken to several fragments. The present Congress is one similar to Ali baba and 40 members. They are not working for people.”

BJP Minister Ridicules Congress

He asked, “Which Gandhian path are they following to realise his dream of Rama Rajya? Are we seeing that atmosphere where a woman can move around freely in the mid night? In the state there is home minister for the sake of it, who doesn’t know what is happening in his department.”

Will the grand old party respond to these allegations and questions and emerge from the Belgavi session with new vigour and enthusiasm?