Congress CWC meeting: From paper leaks to ‘chanda chori’, what the party discussed

New Delhi: Paper leaks, ‘chanda chori’, Vande Mataram, Chinese incursions and women’s reservation were among the key issues discussed at the Congress Working Committee meeting on Wednesday, with the party also announcing plans to take several of them to the grassroots.

The four-hour-long meeting, attended by Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge, Sonia Gandhi, Rahul Gandhi, senior party leaders and the chief ministers of all four Congress-ruled states, came amid student protests over paper leaks and the controversy surrounding Ram temple donations.

Here are the key issues discussed and decisions taken at the meeting.

Paper leaks: Congress plans nationwide campaign

Paper leaks and the government’s handling of student protests emerged as one of the major issues before the CWC.

The party said it would take the issue to the grassroots level and announced that its ‘Chhatron ki Goonj’ programme would be organised in nearly 800 cities across the country to raise issues concerning students.

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Rahul Gandhi is expected to participate in some of the programmes. The initiative has already been held in Kota, Dehradun and Prayagraj, while Pune will host the programme on Saturday, where Gandhi is scheduled to address students.

The CWC also asked the four Congress chief ministers to prepare reports on reforms needed in the education and examination systems in their respective states. The reports have to be submitted to Kharge within a month.

Kharge, in his opening remarks, accused the Modi government of “destroying” the future of students and said the Congress should formulate a comprehensive Education-to-Employment Roadmap for the youth.

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‘Chanda chori’ and Ram temple donations

The alleged misuse or theft of donations associated with the Ram temple was another key issue discussed by the Congress leadership.

The CWC resolution demanded an independent investigation into the matter under the supervision of the Supreme Court, along with a comprehensive audit of the trust’s accounts and assets, including cash and valuables.

The party also decided to take the issue to the grassroots. Congress general secretary K C Venugopal said Pradesh Congress Committees had been directed to raise it at the village and panchayat levels.

Kharge also questioned Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s silence on the allegations and demanded an apology and an answer to the people.

Vande Mataram: Congress settles its position

The CWC also took a decision on the singing of Vande Mataram at Congress events.

The party said it would follow a 1937 resolution of its highest decision-making body and sing only the first two stanzas of Vande Mataram at all party events in the future.

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Venugopal said the Congress had no confusion over the matter and referred to the 1937 resolution, saying that the decision taken by the party leadership at the time would be followed.

He also said Vande Mataram and the National Anthem were emotional issues for the Congress, while alleging that the BJP treated them as political matters.

Chinese incursions and foreign policy

The CWC also discussed India’s foreign policy and alleged Chinese incursions in Arunachal Pradesh.

The Congress accused the government of following a “surrender policy” over the issue and raised what it described as a “failure” of foreign policy.

The issue of Chinese incursions in Arunachal Pradesh was included in the CWC resolution.

Women’s reservation and Lok Sabha seats

The Congress also reiterated its position on women’s reservation and the strength of the Lok Sabha.

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The CWC demanded that the constitutional freeze on the current strength of 543 Lok Sabha seats and their existing allocation among states be extended for the next 25 years.

At the same time, it called for one-third reservation for women to be implemented from the 2029 Lok Sabha elections itself, based on the present strength of the House.

E20 implementation also discussed

Concerns over the implementation of E20 were also raised during the CWC meeting, with the issue finding a place in the resolution adopted by the party.

Congress calls Monsoon Session a success for Opposition

The recently concluded Parliament session also came up for discussion.

The Congress described the Monsoon Session as a success for the Opposition, arguing that opposition parties jointly raised issues that led to repeated disruptions in Parliament.

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Venugopal said the discussion at the CWC showed that the government was on the “back foot” over several issues.

Sources said Rahul Gandhi told the meeting that the government was under pressure and that the Congress needed to intensify its grassroots campaign and step up its attack on the government.

‘Shudhikaran’ controversy in Uttarakhand

Congress general secretary Jairam Ramesh also demanded an apology from Prime Minister Narendra Modi over the alleged “shudhikaran” carried out in Uttarakhand following Kharge’s programme there.

The issue was raised alongside the party’s broader criticism of what it described as attacks on dissent and student movements.

The CWC resolution accused the government of using force against student protests and alleged attacks on young women and children, use of electric shock batons, tear gas, pellet guns and AK-47s, besides censorship of dissenting voices.

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The Congress also criticised the Prime Minister and Home Minister for not facing Parliament over what the party described as serious failures.

Congress plans broader grassroots push

The CWC meeting ultimately brought together several issues that the Congress plans to carry beyond Parliament and into the states, villages and panchayats.

With paper leaks, the Ram temple donations controversy, China, women’s reservation, Vande Mataram and other issues featuring in its resolution, the party has signalled a broader grassroots campaign against the Modi government.

With PTI inputs