New Delhi, Aug 19: The Congress Working Committee (CWC) on Wednesday reaffirmed the party’s position on the recitation of Vande Mataram, with party General Secretary (Organisation) KC Venugopal saying the party would abide by the resolution adopted in 1937 by its top leadership.
“There is no confusion about that. Today, we discussed this during the CWC. Our stand is very clear. In 1937, Mahatma Gandhi, Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru and Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel, along with the top leadership of that time, took certain decisions and we will abide by those decisions,” Venugopal said.
He said Congress workers would follow the position laid down in the 1937 resolution, adding that the party was “very, very clear” on the issue.
Venugopal also clarified that there is no confusion on Vande Mataram.
He said today during the CWC, Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge categorically told yesterday, himself while speaking to thr media in Goa. “But again today, Congress working committee discussed. It is crystal very clear that the 1937 resolution, in which Mahatma Gandhi, Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru, Rabindranath Tagore, Subhash Chandra Bose, Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel, this type of topmost leadership of that point of time, decided that whatever the decision they took, we will abide that decisions. We are very, very clear on that, that our Congress party workers will do that only. This is october 28, 1937 resolution on Vande Mataram,” he added.
Venugopal also said Vande Mataram and the National Anthem were emotional issues for the Congress, while alleging that the BJP was treating the matter politically.
“There is a difference between them and us. For the Congress party, these are emotional things, but for the BJP, it is political,” he said.
On the controversy over the recitation of Vande Mataram at the Congress headquarters, Venugopal termed it a “communication gap” and said the matter had been clarified and was now closed.
“That is clearly a communication gap only. We are very clear about what happened there. That chapter is already closed,” he said, accusing the BJP of distorting national issues to target the Congress.
During the meeting, the party discussed the students protest at length and it was decided that the Congress ideology will be taken to school and colleges to make the students aware of the party’s stand.
The source said that Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi also said that after the students protest, Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s image has been shattered and he is finished.
Meanwhile, highlighting the resolutions passed during the meeting, Venugopal said, “We have focused on three four issues including paper leak. We discussed how the government dealt with the students during the recent agitation.”
He said that Congresswill conduct ‘Chatra ki Goonj’ program in 800 cities.
He said, “We discussed on alleged donation theft in Ram Temple. We are going to take up this issue at the grassroot level throughout the country on this issue.”
Venugopal also said that CWC expressed concern on alleged “Chinese incursion in Arunachal Pradesh”.
He alleged that India’s foreign policy has become a surrender policy (under the ruling BJP).
“We discussed on delimitation issue also,” Venugopal added.
