Congress adopts resolution at AICC session to return to power in Gujarat

Ahmedabad | A special resolution focusing on bringing the Congress back to power in Gujarat, where the BJP has been in power since 1995, was adopted during the All India Congress Committee (AICC) session here on Wednesday, a party leader said.

Titled 'Why Congress is needed in Gujarat', the resolution outlines the party's strategy to get back to power with the motto of "Nutan Gujarat, Nutan Congress' (new Gujarat, new Congress).

It promises that if voted to power, the party will conduct a caste survey in Gujarat to ensure "social justice" for Dalits, tribals, Other Backward Classes (OBCs) and minorities.

Addressing a press conference earlier while the session was underway, Congress general secretary in-charge communications Jairam Ramesh said it was for the first time in his party's history when a state-specific resolution had been brought during an AICC session.

When asked why this resolution has been brought, he said, "This session is being held in Gujarat and we have been out of power in the state for the last 30 years."

"It was Congress that laid the foundation of Gujarat's development back in the 1960s and 70s. However, its development suffered a blow under the BJP rule. That is why, we are bringing this special resolution on Gujarat during today's session," he said.

"This resolution, titled 'Why Congress is needed in Gujarat', will outline party's strategy to get back to power, the issues faced by people, economic policies that we will implement and what we can do for the students, traders, farmers, labourers, middle class and industrialists, and not just for one or two crony capitalist friends, of the state," the Congress leader said.

Seeking to clear the party's stand on industrialists, Ramesh said the party was always in support of genuine businessmen, especially those running small and medium enterprises, but "not one or two corporates who get all the benefits".

"All the large factories in Gujarat were established during the Congress rule. It was Congress which promoted the industrial sector in Gujarat," he said.

According to Ramesh, 80 per cent of the country's stainless steel units are in Gujarat, but one third of them have now been shut because Prime Minister Narendra Modi did not impose any restrictions on the Chinese imports.

"This is also an important issue we want to highlight," he added.

"If you see the statistics of the social sector such as education and health, Gujarat, despite being a developed state, is behind states like Kerala, Tamil Nadu and Karnataka" he claimed.

He said it was for the first time such a state-centric resolution was being moved for discussion in the AICC session.

"In our 140 year history, this is happening for the first time when we are bringing a state specific resolution during an AICC session. The motto of this resolution is 'Nutan Gujarat, Nutan Congress'," Ramesh said.

As per the resolution, people of Gujarat are facing several issues, such as high malnutrition among children, deteriorating quality of education, unemployment, contractual recruitment instead of giving permanent jobs, deteriorating healthcare facilities due to shortage of doctors and closure of small and medium industries.

Accusing the ruling BJP of committing atrocities on Dalits, tribals, women and minorities, the Congress promised to ensure justice for them as per Article 14 of the Constitution, which guarantees equality before the law and equal protection of the laws, the resolution document said.

The party promised to conduct a caste survey if voted to power and also promised to ensure "social justice" for Dalits, tribals, OBCs and minorities.

Other key promises mentioned in the resolution include allotment of land to farm labourers, proper implementation of the Provisions of the Panchayats (Extension to Scheduled Areas) Act, abolition of fixed pay and contract system in government jobs and legal assurance of Minimum Support Price (MSP) for farmers.

Gujarat, the home state of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, has been under BJP rule since 1995. In the 2022 Gujarat assembly elections, the Congress won only 17 of the 182 seats in the state. But the party's strength in the House came down to 12 after the resignation of five MLAs.