Don't deserve to be called Congressmen, if there is no courage: Rajasthan Congress chief

Jaipur, April 14 (IANS) Rajasthan Congress chief Govind Singh Dotasra on Monday called upon the party workers to show courage like Bharat Singh to protect the Constitution, saying if there is no courage, then they don’t deserve to be called Congressmen.

“They break governments, and you remain silent. What are you afraid of - jail? Forget jail - revolutionaries like Bhagat Singh were hanged for the country. If we can’t show a little courage for the Constitution, we don’t deserve to be called Congressmen,” said the Congress state chief while addressing workers at the state headquarters on Ambedkar Jayanti.

Dotasra said those who never believed in the Constitution came to power because the party forgot the leaders who gave India freedom.

“We stopped teaching their philosophies and holding seminars about them. Now we are paying the price. We will revive the tradition of celebrating and educating people about India’s freedom fighters and constitutional framers like B.R. Ambedkar,” he claimed.

He criticised superficial efforts within the party, stating that token gestures had reduced Congress’s national presence to 50 seats previously, while emphasising that symbolism would not help Congress move forward.

He announced a month-long campaign to protect the Constitution, urging active participation. “Whoever joins this campaign is our leader. Anyone absent from party meetings for three consecutive months will be removed.”

Dotasra claimed that the Chief Minister’s authority had been seized by “higher authorities”, while accusing the Governor of overreaching by conducting meetings meant for state ministers.

Dotasra accused the government of violating constitutional provisions by delaying elections and appointing administrators without legal backing.

“Despite no changes to the law, administrators were appointed under the guise of ‘One State, One Election’. Elections meant to be held every five years are being postponed. This is a clear violation of the Constitution,” he said.

Dotasra also warned against political vendetta, saying, “If someone from our party commits a crime, arrest them. But if anyone is harassed with political malice, LoP Tika Ram Jully and I will stand with that worker. Touch a Congress worker unjustly, and we will dismantle everything,” he said.

He also mentioned former Rajasthan Chief Minister Vasundhara Raje, who recently criticised bureaucracy, and said that despite her allegations on poor functioning of the system, the state government simply sent out an officer to that place. “If Congress will not become the voice of the people, then who will?” he said.

--IANS

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