JOIN USMallikarjun Kharge laments lack of unity within Congress
Veteran Congressman Mallikarjun Kharge on Saturday chanted the ‘unity’ mantra, asking party leaders to “work together” against the BJP and its ideological parent the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS).
Kharge’s remark came during an event organised by the Karnataka Pradesh Congress Committee (KPCC) on the occasion of Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru’s birth anniversary.
“We have to work as one. We may chant Nehru's name saying he was the first prime minister. What's more important is how he brought the nation and people of all classes together,” Kharge said.
“The problem is, one person says one thing and another says something else. We aren't united. With folded hands, I ask everybody to work together in the interest of the party and our ideology,” he made an appeal.
He said the BJP attacked Congress repeatedly with the hope that it would fuel differences and misunderstanding among us. “We shouldn't become victims with this,” the Rajya Sabha member said.
He cited the example of how the BJP projected that there were differences between Nehru and Sardar Patel. “All of us, including me, clarified about this in Parliament. But, none of us took it forward whereas the BJP continues to spread misinformation and spoil people's minds.”
Kharge also said the Congress would not have a future if it failed to stick to its ideology. “Till our ideology doesn't come to the party seriously, we don't have a future.”
Kharge’s call for unity within the party comes amid reports that the Congress in Karnataka was divided into factions.
Congress Legislature Party (CLP) leader Siddaramaiah attacked the RSS and urged party workers to study history in order to counter any lie. “We shouldn’t become weak-minded listening to the lies of the BJP and RSS. You have to know history so that you can counter them effectively,” he said.
Kharge takes jibe at DKS over superstition
Congress leader Mallikarjun Kharge took a dig at KPCC president D K Shivakumar on superstition. “Nehru had no place for superstitions, Shivakumarji,” he said as if making this point to Shivakumar as the audience burst into laughter. “Nehru believed in scientific thinking. That’s why Ashoka Chakra gained supremacy over Sudarshan Chakra.” Kharge was seen as taunting Shivakumar who believes in astrology. Apparently, Shivakumar’s choice of candidate for the recent Rajarajeshwarinagar bypoll was based on astrological advice. The party lost badly.