Congress Backs Vande Mataram Stanza; Addresses Temple Fund Theft

The Congress Working Committee (CWC) has expanded its student outreach program, Chhatron Ki Goonj, to around 800 cities and towns. They launched a nationwide campaign against the alleged theft of donations meant for the Ram Temple in Ayodhya, calling it “chanda chori.”

K.C. Venugopal from the All India Congress Committee (AICC) stated that this isn’t just about one temple but stealing from every household. Drawing inspiration from the BJP’s strategies, he compared the situation to theft from each home.

Rahul Gandhi urged state chief ministers to report on education reforms and criticized them for not engaging enough with students during recent protests. He emphasized the importance of youth support, as a survey showed most students back the Congress.

Internal conflicts were evident when a Punjab Congress member skipped the meeting. The CWC demanded a Supreme Court-monitored probe into the Ram Temple funds and asked the Modi government to maintain current Lok Sabha seat allocations and implement women’s reservation.

The youth are disappointed with Modi’s government due to issues like paper leaks, unemployment, and repression of student movements. Rahul Gandhi commented that Modi appears weak, with leaders seeking his replacement.

Concerns were raised about Chinese incursions in Arunachal Pradesh and E20 petrol quality. The Congress also discussed Vande Mataram, sticking to the first two stanzas as per a 1937 resolution.

In conclusion, Venugopal noted that while Vande Mataram is emotional for Congress, it’s political for BJP, highlighting their differing approaches to national symbols.