Ahmedabad Congress session: Mallikarjun Kharge reignites battle over Sardar Patel's legacy
highlights his ban on RSS
Ahmedabad (PTI): Asserting the party's claim to Sardar Patel's legacy, Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge on Tuesday accused the BJP and RSS of trying to usurp it under a "well-planned conspiracy" against national heroes and said it is laughable as the Sangh Parivar had "no contribution" in the freedom struggle.
He alleged that the BJP and RSS conspired to show that Patel and Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru were against each other even though the two leaders enjoyed cordial ties and were "two sides of the same coin".
In his opening address at the Extended Congress Working Committee meeting at the Sardar Patel Memorial here, Kharge also said that attention is being diverted from basic issues of the country by indulging in communal division.
At the same time, oligarchic monopoly is on the path of controlling the government by capturing the resources of the country, he alleged.
He said that Patel's ideology was contrary to the ideas of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) and he had even banned the organisation.
"But it is laughable that today the people of that organisation claim Sardar Patel's legacy," Kharge said attacking the BJP and RSS, which have often maintained that the Congress did not give Patel the respect he deserved.
The BJP and Prime Minister Narendra Modi have taken several initiatives to honour Patel, prompting the Congress to accuse them of trying to appropriate its leader's legacy.
"An atmosphere is being created against the Congress party which has a glorious history of serving and fighting for the country for the last 140 years. This work is being done by people who have no accomplishments," Kharge said.
They have nothing to show as their contribution to the freedom struggle, he said, targeting the BJP-RSS.
The Congress president alleged that the BJP and Sangh Parivar "people are taking over" institutions associated with Gandhi and handing them over to his ideological opponents.
"They have also taken over Sarva Seva Sangh in Varanasi. You all know what happened in Gujarat Vidyapeeth. Gandhian people and people of cooperative movement are being marginalised," Kharge alleged.
"People with such thinking can steal Gandhiji's glasses and stick. But they can never follow his ideals. Gandhiji's ideological legacy is the real capital which only the Congress party has," he said.
Kharge stressed that the Congress is taking forward the legacy of Gandhi and Patel.
"Sardar Patel Saheb lives in our hearts, lives in our thoughts. We are taking his legacy forward. We have organised this CWC meeting in Ahmedabad at Sardar Patel Museum with this thought in mind. We pay our heartfelt tributes to him," he said.
Quoting Patel, Kharge said organisational strength is important and mere numbers without the organisation are meaningless.
He said the workers are like threads that join together to form the organisation's tapestry and their strength, beauty and utility become remarkable.
He said during the two days of the conclave they would freely talk about the challenges before the party and work on the strategy for the future, emphasising that a clear path can emerge only through dialogue.
On Nehru-Patel relations, he said, "They (BJP-RSS) conspired to show that the relationship between Sardar Patel and Pandit Nehru was such that the two heroes were against each other.
"But the truth is that they were two sides of the same coin. Many incidents and documents are witness to their cordial relationship."
He said that the good ties between Patel and Nehru are recorded in the documents.
"There was almost daily correspondence between the two. Nehruji used to take his advice on all matters. Nehruji had immense respect for Patel Sahab. If he had to take some advice, he himself would go to Patelji's house. For Patelji's convenience, CWC meetings were held at his residence," Kharge said.
He said October 31 this year is the 150th birth anniversary of Sardar Patel.
"Nehru ji used to call him (Patel) 'founder of India's unity'. We will celebrate his 150th birth anniversary with great enthusiasm across the country," the Congress president said.
He said resolutions passed on fundamental rights at the Karachi Congress under his leadership are the soul of the Indian Constitution.
Mahatma Gandhi and Sardar Patel played an important role in making B R Ambedkar a member of the Constituent Assembly, he claimed.
Kharge said even though Ambedkar admitted that the Constitution was not possible without the Congress, the RSS criticised Gandhiji, Pandit Nehru, Dr. Ambedkar and the Congress a lot.
"They burnt the effigies of the Constitution and these leaders at Ramlila Maidan. They also said that the Constitution was not inspired by Manuwadi ideals," he alleged.
"The Modi government insulted Gandhi and Baba Saheb by removing their grand statues from Parliament premises and putting them in a corner. The Home Minister mocked Baba Saheb in the Rajya Sabha by saying that 'you people keep saying Ambedkar, Ambedkar, Ambedkar'," Kharge alleged.
He asserted that the Congress party respects both the Constitution and the Constitution makers and knows how to protect it.
Kharge said this year is the centenary of Mahatma Gandhi becoming the Congress President.
"In December 1924, the Father of the Nation Mahatma Gandhi Ji became the president in the Belagavi Congress session in my home state Karnataka," he said.
Three great personalities born in the land of Gujarat made the Congress famous all over the world, he said referring to Dada Bhai Naoroji, Mahatma Gandhi and Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel.
All of them were the presidents of our Congress Party, he pointed out.
"Gandhi Ji gave us the weapon of truth and non-violence against injustice. This is such a strong ideological weapon that no power can stand against it," Kharge said.
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Akeal Hosein bosses powerplay overs with 'skill and mental fortitude'
New Delhi (PTI): For a spinner who bowls majority of his overs in the powerplay, Chennai Super Kings' West Indian import Akeal Hosein relies as much on mental fortitude as his skills to excel in the most unforgiving phase of the game.
With just two fielders in the deep in the first six overs, the margin for error is miniscule and the pressure is sky high.
However, Hosein thrives in that tense environment. The left-arm spinner returned with frugal figures of 3-0-15-1 in the powerplay to play a crucial role in his team's eight-wicket win over Delhi Capitals in an IPL match here on Tuesday.
"You need both of them (skill and mental toughness). Especially when you come upon pitches that aren't conducive to spin and it's just about being disciplined as well," he said.
"Having two fielders out in the power play. It's not a job that you can go searching for wickets or you can be too greedy. It's just about sticking to the plan," he explained.
Hosein got the all-important wicket of an in-form K L Rahul, who was foxed by the West Indian as he stepped out to smash him for an inside out six.
Hosein's inclusion in the playing eleven after not being picked in the initial phase of the tournament has allowed CSK to win more games. On Tuesday, the pitch offered him a bit of help and he ended up dominating the batters.
After the win over DC, Hosein was asked about his recipe for success in the powerplay.
"...it's a bit scripted because you only have two guys out so it's just about being disciplined and trying to do the job for the team. At the end of the day if you don't get wickets and you bowl economically in the power play, that's a damn good job you've done for the team," said Hosein.
He has taken seven wickets in five games at an impressive economy rate of 7.25.
Fully aware that the batter is a mere couple of hits away from putting the pressure back on him, Hosein says practising for high-pressure situations helps him stay in the present.
"I think homework is very important. You want to have that head-start when you come up against whichever batter you're going to face. And like I say it's just about making assessments as quickly as possible.
"You might come up on a pitch that is spinning. You might come up against one that isn't spinning. Thankfully I can spin the ball. So it's just about picking which deliveries will give you the most success on a particular day and against a particular batter," said Hosein.
He got rid of Rahul first ball from the other end, something that was decided by captain Ruturaj Gaikwad. Post powerplay, Noor Ahmad took over the mantle from Hosein and maintained the pressure on DC batters.
"Getting the opportunity to bowl first for me is just about again making that assessment as quickly as possible and then passing on that information to Noor or even to the seamers as well if it was a bit of spin or if it's gripping or whatever the case is.
"So conversations with myself and Noor have been fantastic. Really happy for him that he's getting some success," he added.
