New Delhi, Aug 15 (IANS) Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge on Saturday took a swipe at the NDA government at the Centre during his Independence Day address at the party headquarters, saying that instead of changing names, the Congress “worked to change people’s economic conditions”.
Kharge listed the contributions made by former and late Prime Ministers belonging to the Congress party, towards building India’s economy, military and education sectors, while claiming that “90 per cent” of the progress in India has been brought by the party.
Speaking on the occasion of the 80th Independence Day celebrations at Indira Bhawan, Kharge said: “Today’s historic day is not merely a day to commemorate the struggle for Independence, but also an occasion to ask: To what extent has the dream of India envisioned by our freedom fighters been fulfilled? In its 141-year history, the Congress party fought against foreign colonial rule for 62 years. Millions of people made immense sacrifices and laid down their lives.”
He emphasised that the youth played an integral role, not only during the freedom struggle but also in nation building after independence.
Highlighting the contribution of India’s first Prime Minister, he said: “Jawaharlal Nehru ji laid the foundation of a modern, democratic, and secular India, and he built institutions like IITs, IIMs, Public Sector Units, as well as basic infrastructure. He referred to irrigation projects as the temples of modern India. Nehru ji did a lot for the country but still he didn’t have an iota of arrogance within him.”
Kharge underlined that green and white revolutions in India were initiated and promoted under the regime of late Prime Minister Lal Bahadur Shastri while the country’s space, nuclear, military and strategic capabilities were strengthened by late Prime Minister Indira Gandhi.
“She played a major role in the creation of Bangladesh in 1971,” he added.
Referring to PM Modi, he said: “Today, it is said from the Red Fort that everything has been done by them.”
Recalling former Prime Minister late Rajiv Gandhi’s tenure, Kharge said: “Rajiv Gandhi restored peace in the Northeast and Punjab. He laid the foundation for the IT Revolution and bolstered defence capabilities, the benefits of which were later witnessed during the Kargil War. Through the New Education Policy, skill development, and Jawahar Navodaya Vidyalayas, he created numerous opportunities for the youth. And he lowered the voting age from 21 years to 18 years.”
“He (Rajiv Gandhi) wanted India’s youth to confidently face the world in the 21st century,” he stated.
The Congress President added that former Prime Minister late Narasimha Rao opened India to the world through globalisation and moved the country forward in the direction of making it a major investment destination.
Mentioning former Prime Minister late Manmohan Singh’s contributions to the nation’s economy, he said: “Dr. Manmohan Singh ji gave economic growth a human face alongside development. Through MGNREGA, Right to Education, RTI, Forest Rights Act, and Food Security Act, he strengthened the rights of the country’s poor and vulnerable sections.”
Kharge also said that Congress Parliamentary Party chairperson Sonia Gandhi has also made “major contribution”. “She worked with full dedication, with a team to formulate policies and empower people with their rights,” he asserted.
“We should not forget all this. Today’s government has not carried out anything like this. This government has not given people their rights…we (Congress) are the ones who provided food, education and shelter to people but still few people have the habit of taking false credit,” he remarked.
He further said: “Whatever we see in the country today, 90 per cent of it is the gift of the Congress Party. We did not indulge in merely changing names. We tried to change the people’s economic condition.”
–IANS
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