Sonia targets BJP, says some want to make RSS symbol of India in place of Gandhi

Congress president Sonia Gandhi made a veiled attack on the BJP and the Sangh Parivar on Wednesday, alleging that some people want to make RSS a symbol of India in place of Mahatma Gandhi and the soul of the Father of Nation must be pained over "the condition of the country" in the past four-five years.

Addressing party workers at the culmination of a foot-march here, she said that only the Congress has walked the path shown by Mahatma Gandhi and the party members should be prepared to struggle for his values howsoever difficult the path may be.

The foot-march was held to mark the 150th birth anniversary of Gandhi.

She accused the BJP leadership of "arrogating power" against the path shown by Gandhi and using all kinds of means for their political objectives.

Gandhi said taking the name of Mahatma Gandhi was easy but following his path was difficult.

"Taking his name is easy but it is not easy to follow his path. Those who took his name but tried to take India away from his path and on their own path were not less earlier too," she said.

"But for the past few years, they have used all means at their disposal and they think they are very powerful. Despite all this, if India has not lost its way it is because the foundation of the country is laid on the values given by Gandhi," added the Congress president.

Sonia said that India and Mahatma Gandhi were synonymous with each other.

"It is another thing that some people are hell-bent on reversing it. They want that not Gandhi, but RSS becomes the symbol of India," she said.

"I want to tell such people in clear words that our composite culture, our composite civilisation, and society has never thought of anything but of the all-inclusive arrangement shown by Gandhi," she said.

She accused the BJP of resorting to untruths and not following the politics of principles.

"Those who are basing their politics on untruth, how will they understand that Gandhiji was a worshipper of truth? Those who can do anything for their politics, how will they understand that Gandhiji was a worshipper of non-violence," she asked.

"Those who are hungry to arrogate all the power in a democracy, how will they understand what 'swaraj' of Gandhiji means and those who are keen to tell that they are all-powerful at the slightest opportunity, how will they understand what is the value of Gandhiji's selfless service," she said.

She said Mahatma Gandhi was a symbol of cordiality and love.

"Those who think these days that they are the masters of India's destiny, I want to tell them humbly that Gandhiji was not a symbol of hate but of love. He was not a symbol of tension but of cordiality. He was not a symbol of lawlessness but of democracy. Others can pretend anything but only the Congress has walked on the path of Gandhiji and only it will walk," she added.

The Congress chief said Mahatma Gandhi wanted that India and its villages are self-dependent. "The Congress walked on this path after Independence and took steps for revolutionary change," she said.

Gandhi said that all Prime Ministers of the party relentlessly worked for the creation of new India and the country crossed many milestones.

She said the way Congress created job opportunities by walking on the path of Gandhi, the way it lifted people out of poverty, provided resources to the farmers, facilities to women and educational opportunities to the youth, it is unparalleled.

"But the condition in which the country is for the past four-five years, I think seeing that Gandhij's soul must be feeling pain. It is very unfortunate that farmers are facing difficulties, youth are coping with unemployment and industries are closing," she said.

The Congress chief alleged that women were not safe even in the cities, not to talk of villages.

"Those committing atrocities on them are in comfort. Those who have faced injustice are being put in jail," she alleged.

Gandhi said party members have to go with a resolve "to protect at any cost India's basic dignity, old values, cultural legacy, values of diversity and mutual bonding."

"I tell my brothers and sisters in the Congress that we have to go to every village, every lane to save the basic values of the country, to protect our constitutional bodies, to protect our social structure, to allow individuals to keep their freedom of identity. Only then India will be saved," she said.

"Howsoever long this struggle, howsoever difficult, we will walk this path till we are successful and I assure you that if the determination is strong, the target is never far," she said.

The Congress chief said Mahatma Gandhi gave the inspiration to adopt the path of truth and non-violence not only to India but to the entire world.

"We bow to such a great man," she said, adding that it was a special day as the Father of the Nation was born on this day 150 years ago. She said the party was proud of the achievements of the country by walking the path shown by Gandhi.

( With inputs from ANI )