Only Congress ideology can save India from religious, caste divides: Harshwardhan Sapkal

Mumbai: Maharashtra Congress president Harshwardhan Sapkal on Sunday said the country needs the party's ideology rooted in the Constitution as society is being divided along lines of caste, religion, language and sect.

Speaking at a function at Tilak Bhavan here to mark the Indian National Congress's 140th foundation day, Sapkal accused the ruling BJP of weakening social harmony and creating divisions.

"The country is facing a serious crisis today. The only ideology that can save the nation is the Congress ideology," he said.

Sapkal said that while India attained freedom on August 15, 1947, the struggle for systemic change continues.

He alleged that the BJP and the RSS believed political and religious power should remain in the hands of a few, but the Congress believes the country belongs to everyone and all citizens have equal rights over power and wealth.

"The Congress ideology is rooted in the Constitution. It is spiritual and focuses on the welfare of the world. The BJP's ideology does not uphold gender equality and promotes discrimination. The Congress stands firmly against such thinking," he said, urging party workers to take pride in the party's tradition of sacrifice and struggle.

Sapkal further claimed that the Congress had achieved encouraging results in the recently held municipal council and nagar panchayat elections despite the ruling party's money power, administrative support and pressure tactics.

"Our workers did not bow down. Maintain this spirit. We will fight and we will win," he asserted.

Sapkal administered a pledge to Congress workers to protect the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA), saying it was not merely a government scheme but a concrete expression of the right to employment.

"We are committed to protecting the MGNREGA at any cost. We will collectively struggle to ensure dignity, employment, justice and timely wages for rural workers. We will oppose any attempt to remove Mahatma Gandhi's name from the scheme or to dilute workers' rights, through all democratic means," the pledge said.