Posted: Dec 19, 2010 at 0337 hrs IST
This comes amidst a concerted attack from the BJP and other affiliates of the Sangh Parivar on Congress general secretary Rahul Gandhi’s remarks to US Ambassador Timothy Roemer stating that radicalised Hindu groups posed a bigger threat to India than Pakistan-based terror outfit Lashkar-e-Toiba.
At the Subject Committee meeting today, Rahul Gandhi also said that the demolition of Babri mosque in Ayodhya should be described as a “criminal act” and not as “mischievous vandalism” as stated in the draft resolution. “We should be upfront about it,” Rahul was learnt to have stated.
Digvijaya Singh said that both “majority communalism” and “minority communalism” should be condemned in the party resolution. The resolution would also elaborate on the involvement of RSS leaders in Ajmer bomb blasts and other terror attacks. Congress leaders were also of the view that the resolution should state that all cases linking RSS and terror should be handed over to the National Investigation Agency (NIA).
In the backdrop of a series of scams and corruption charges that dogged the UPA government, the party’s political resolution will emphasize on “probity in public life” noting how the ruling party ministers and Chief Minister resigned just because of public perception while the BJP has maintained double standard on this issue refusing to act against its leaders facing corruption charges.
The party’s economic resolution will compliment Prime Minister Manmohan Singh for steering the country on the path of robust growth even in times of global recession. The resolution will also support the UID project, which has been under attack from some National Advisory Council members and NGOs. Rahul Gandhi also supported the UID project at today’s meeting.
The party’s draft foreign policy resolution, however, came under severe criticism from several members who felt that it lacked “direction.” Leaders questioned the decision to devote “quarter of a page” to Africa, while the European Union found mention just once. There was also some objection to the absence of Palestine in the draft resolution, which, leaders felt, put “too much emphasis” on US President Barack Obama’s endorsement of India’s claims for permanent seat in the UN Security Council.
Senior leader Mani Shankar Aiyar wanted the text of Rajiv Gandhi’s 1988 speech at the UN General Assembly on universal nuclear disarmament to be included in the resolution. The foreign policy resolution will be re-drafted and finalised to accommodate all these concerns.