Raipur Declaration: Cong open for alliance, seeks caste census

Raipur, Feb 26 (IANS) Congress' 85th plenary session ended on Sunday with 'Raipur Declaration' asserting never to compromise with the politics of BJP-RSS, and mentioning its openness for alliances, caste census in the country and also called upon the party workers to ensure poll wins.

The declaration said, "The Congress party is the only party that has never compromised with the BJP/RSS and its despicable politics. We will always fight to protect our political values against the BJP's authoritarian, communal and crony capitalist onslaught."

Giving a big message on alliance, the declaration said, "We are prepared to work with like-minded political parties on the basis of a common, constructive programme to preserve and protect the Constitution in letter and spirit and to address the three main challenges facing the country: growing economic inequality, intensifying social polarisation and deepening political dictatorship."

The same was reflected upon in the Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge's speech on Saturday where he said the party was open up for alliance.

The plenary gave full credit to Rahul Gandhi, common people and the workers of the Indian National Congress, who walked 4,000 kms from Kanyakumari to Kashmir during the Bharat Jodo Yatra.

"The Yatra took forward an inclusive and progressive vision of India where Constitutional values reign supreme. In celebrating diversity, equality and fraternity, it presented a clear alternative to the BJP's vision of India," said the party declaration.

It said the party workers and leaders must work with discipline, solidarity and complete unity to ensure victory in important state elections in Karnataka, Chhattisgarh, Madhya Pradesh, Mizoram, Rajasthan and Telangana.

"The results of these elections will set the tone for the all-important 2024 Lok Sabha election," it said.

Focussing on people-centric schemes, it said the governments in Chhattisgarh, Himachal Pradesh and Rajasthan are models for the rest of the country.

"As just two examples, Rajasthan's Mukhya Mantri Chiranjeevi Swasthya Bima Yojana and Chhattisgarh's Rajiv Gandhi Kisan Nyay Yojana have set the bar for other states. Our new government in Himachal Pradesh is fulfilling the promises made to the people in all earnestness."

The Declaration said that in the decade from 2004-2014, the Congress delivered the highest ever GDP growth, pulled crores of Indians out of poverty, and introduced many transformational rights-based legislations, such as MGNREGA, Forest Rights Act and National Food Security Act.

"The time is now ripe for a new vision to empower the nation's producers and reboot the economy. MSMEs that have been destroyed in the last eight and a half years must be revived and made the engine of rapid growth and employment, through cluster-based skill development programmes for the youth, and dedicated funding and technological support for labour-intensive manufacturing.

"GST must be drastically simplified and agricultural policies and reforms must be reoriented to place farmers and farm workers at the centre, and not only production goals. Farmers must be safeguarded through measures such as debt relief and legally guaranteed MSP.

"To ensure the fruits of rapid growth benefit all sections of the society, Sampoorna Samajik Suraksha must be introduced, especially a women-centric NYAY programme and an Universal Right to Health Act. To cement the foundations of social justice an immediate Caste Census is critical."

The declaration said, "India awaits a reinvigorated Congress and we owe it to the people to fulfill their expectations.

"Crores of workers of the Congress party must build on the momentum of the Bharat Jodo Yatra to defeat the divisive forces of the BJP and RSS. A mass awareness campaign will be launched against the crudest example of crony capitalism which the entire country and the world is seeing."