NEW DELHI: It was like the old wine in the new bottle as Congress’ much-touted Nav Chintan Shivir gave subtle hints that the Gandhi scion will once again come to the forefront, with a bid to revive and re-energise the party.
Delivering the closing remark on the concluding day of the three-day camp in Udaipur, Rajasthan, former Congress chief Rahul Gandhi hit out at the BJP and the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) saying that there is no space for discussion in them while in the Grand Old Party discussions and debates are held.
“I cannot see such (Chintan shivir) discussions and debates happening in any party. The BJP and the RSS do not allow discussions,” Gandhi said on Sunday.
He also added that, unlike BJP and RSS, discussions do happen in the Congress party.
Slamming the RSS for allegedly infiltrating the institutions of the country, the Congress leader said, “We haven’t infiltrated into various institutions like the RSS is doing.”
“If there is one area the BJP is better, it is in communication. They have the money, etc. We have to reform our communication and connect with the people. When we aggressively change the party structure at the grassroots level we will be able to take on RSS,” the Gandhi scion said.
He also said that senior leaders have shown us the direction and there is a lot of clarity on where the Congress party has to go in terms of policy, thinking and political position.
He further said that the day this country’s institutions stop working, we will all be in serious trouble.
He also said that he has never been corrupt and hasn’t taken any money. “And I am not scared and will fight,” he said. “I want to tell all Congress workers and leaders that you don’t need to be scared. This country believes in truth. I’m with you for the rest of my life. And I’m going to fight this fight with you,” the Congress leader said.
He also said that conversations are not allowed in India today. “We see conversations being muzzled and we do not understand its consequences,” he said.
Gandhi also said that Congress will take out a nationwide yatra in October.
While the move can be seen as a bid to bring Congress back into the limelight, it might also serve as a vehicle to revive Gandhi’s stature as a leader.
Only time will tell if the ‘Nav Chintan’ can change the game for the Grand Old Party.