New office to become centre of fighting forces working against Constitution: Kharge
The Congress party moved its national headquarters at 24 Akbar Road in Delhi to a new address – Indira Bhawan at 9A, Kotla Road – on Wednesday
Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge on Wednesday said that the party’s new headquarters will become the centre of fighting forces that are working against the Constitution and democracy.
Speaking at the inauguration ceremony of the new party office at 9A Kotla Marg, Kharge stressed that the Congress party stands firm on the power of its ideology.
Echoing similar sentiments, party general secretary (organisation) KC Venugopal said that the building is a reflection of the party’s commitment to remain forward looking.
“We step into this home, which is designed to cater to our needs of the present and challenges of the future. This building is a reflection of our commitment to remain forward looking but stay rooted in our rich history and values”, he said.
As the party shifted to its new office, Lok Sabha’s Leader of the Opposition Rahul Gandhi said that only the Congress has the “courage and the capability” to stop the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS).
“We are fighting a civilizational war with these people. They are attacking daily the ideas that we believe in. Only the Congress has the courage and the capability to stop the BJP and the RSS”, he said.
The new headquarters will be nothing like the 24 Akbar Road, which started functioning as the office of the Indira-Gandhi led breakaway faction in 1978 and over time, became synonymous with the Congress party. From a huge bungalow designed by Edwin Lutyens to an environmental-friendly office at 9A Kotla Marg, the change of address coincides with the party’s political upheaval in recent years.
Both Gandhi and Kharge reminded their colleagues of their immediate tasks.
“We have to remember our history. The Congress stands firm on the power of its ideology. We will stick to our ideology even if we face the PM or the HM or anyone. Today is the time to inform people about what we have done”, Kharge said.
Gandhi spoke about the challenge against the BJP-RSS. “Don’t think there is a fair fight. If you think we are fighting political organisations called BJP and RSS, we are wrong. The BJP and the RSS have captured every institution of this country. We are fighting BJP, RSS and the Indian state itself,” Gandhi said.
A virtual tour of the new office shows the party has traced its journey from the beginning and the achievements of its leaders with infographics and pictures on the wall. It has a wall dedicated to the life of Mahatma Gandhi and has posted BR Ambedkar’s teachings in another.
Recalling a CWC meeting on December 31, 1952, Kharge said that the then Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru-led CWC had decided that “the committee considered the question of purchase of the site for the AICC office building. It was decided that the site for the AICC of should be purchased in the Indraprastha estate in the terms offered” and quipped that Sonia Gandhi inaugurated the office which was a dream of Nehru.