Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge, addressing the party&rsquo;s convention in Ahmedabad on Wednesday, declared that the Indian National Congress (INC) was now fighting a &ldquo;second war of independence&rdquo;&mdash;this time not against foreign rule, but against internal threats such as communalism, inequality, injustice, poverty, and discrimination.
&ldquo;Earlier, these injustices were committed by foreign rulers, today it is our government that&rsquo;s responsible,&rdquo; Kharge said, targeting the Narendra Modi-led central government. &ldquo;But we will win this war,&rdquo; he asserted.
Constitution, Economy Under Attack: Kharge
Kharge accused the ruling BJP government of consistently attacking the Constitution and weakening democratic institutions. He cited the example of the Leader of Opposition (LoP) Rahul Gandhi not being allowed to speak in Parliament during the Budget Session.
He also flagged a grim economic scenario, saying 15 lakh wealthy Indians had migrated abroad under the current regime, while those seeking jobs are being &ldquo;sent back in chains.&rdquo; In contrast, bank defaulters and economic offenders were living comfortably abroad, he said.
Kharge lamented the abolition of the Planning Commission, privatization of PSUs, erosion of permanent jobs, and the denial of reservation to SCs, STs, OBCs, and EWS groups. &ldquo;By selling PSUs, the government has denied lakhs of jobs and social justice opportunities,&rdquo; he said.
Centre-State Relations Deteriorating
Highlighting alleged discrimination against opposition-ruled states, Kharge accused the Centre of shredding the fabric of federalism. He pointed to states like Tamil Nadu, West Bengal, Karnataka, Telangana, and Jharkhand, which he said were being denied their rightful funds and treated with &ldquo;step-motherly behaviour.&rdquo;
Referring to the Supreme Court&rsquo;s recent judgment restricting governors from stalling decisions of elected governments, Kharge welcomed the move and said it affirms the supremacy of the democratic mandate.
&lsquo;Make in India&rsquo; Hollow, Farmers Ignored
Taking a dig at the Modi government&rsquo;s &lsquo;Make in India&rsquo; campaign, Kharge said five lakh MSMEs had shut down in the last five years. He slammed the government for failing to fulfill its promise of doubling farmers&rsquo; income and reneging on the legal guarantee for MSP.
He also criticized the government for allegedly crushing trade unions, weakening labour laws, and failing to increase wages. &ldquo;Inflation is hurting the poor. Gas and fuel prices are skyrocketing despite falling international rates,&rdquo; he said.
Break 50% Reservation Cap, Caste Census: RaGa
Rahul Gandhi, in a sharp address at the same convention, reiterated his party&rsquo;s commitment to conducting a caste census and promised to challenge and break the 50% cap on reservations.
&ldquo;We need to know who owns how much share of this country&rsquo;s resources,&rdquo; he said, adding that caste census resolutions passed in Telangana will be replicated nationally if the Congress comes to power.
Slamming PM Modi and the RSS, Rahul said, &ldquo;They don&rsquo;t want a caste census. They want to hide the reality. But we will not stop.&rdquo;
&lsquo;Working for the Backward Classes&rsquo;
Positioning himself as a leader of the marginalized, Rahul said, &ldquo;I am working for the backward classes.&rdquo; He invoked the legacy of Mahatma Gandhi and Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel, reminding the audience of their historic association with the Congress.
He also shared a personal memory about former Prime Minister Indira Gandhi. &ldquo;I once asked her what people should say about her after she&rsquo;s gone. She told me, &lsquo;I focus only on my work, not on what people say.&rsquo; That&rsquo;s my philosophy too,&rdquo; Rahul added.
PM Modi Slammed 
Rahul Gandhi took on the government over the controversial Agnipath military recruitment scheme. &ldquo;An Agniveer who dies in war won&rsquo;t even be granted martyr status or pension,&rdquo; he said, calling the policy discriminatory against the poor, Dalits, and backward communities.
Taking a swipe at PM Modi for his recent meeting with Bangladesh&rsquo;s top leadership, Rahul asked, &ldquo;Bangladesh is making statements against India. Our PM met their leader but didn&rsquo;t utter a word. Where is the 56-inch chest now?&rdquo;
A Call to Action
In a strong message to party workers, Kharge urged Congressmen to work tirelessly for upcoming elections. &ldquo;Those who can&rsquo;t work for the party should take rest. Those who can&rsquo;t take responsibility should retire,&rdquo; he said. 
During the convention, the party also vowed to rebuild its organization from the grassroots and work to win elections.&nbsp;
Senior leaders, including Sonia Gandhi, Rahul Gandhi, and delegates from across the country, attended the convention, which was seen as a major show of strength and ideological clarity.
(with inputs from IANS)
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(L to R) Sonia Gandhi, Mallikarjun Kharge & Rahul Gandhi

Rahul, Kharge slam Centre, Modi govt at AICC national convention in Ahmedabad

Cong Declares ‘Second War of Independence’

Rahul, Kharge slam Centre, Modi govt at AICC national convention in Ahmedabad

April 9, 2025 | 19:31 IST