The Congress on Thursday asserted that it would take all necessary steps to make the INDIA bloc an effective bulwark and force against the BJP and its allies, while vowing to be fully prepared at the earliest to fight the Lok Sabha elections.
In a resolution that was passed unanimously after a four-hour meeting of the Congress Working Committee (CWC), the party also alleged that the suspension of MPs from Parliament was done to ensure that the opposition was not present to challenge the Narendra Modi government "as it bulldozed three draconian criminal justice laws through".
The CWC, the party's highest decision-making body, condemned in the strongest possible terms the suspension of more than 140 MPs of the opposition INDIA bloc from the Rajya Sabha and the Lok Sabha.
These MPs were simply demanding that Home Minister Amit Shah make a statement on the "extraordinary events" of December 13 in the Lok Sabha and on the role of the BJP MP from Mysuru in "facilitating the entry of the two intruders" who caused a serious security breach, the resolution said.
On the anniversary of the 2001 Parliament attack, two people jumped into the chamber of the Lower House of Parliament from the public gallery during Zero Hour, released yellow gas from canisters and shouted slogans before being overpowered by MPs.
Opposition parties have slammed the suspensions, noting that no action has been taken against BJP MP Prathap Simha, who facilitated the passes of the two security breach accused.
The meeting of the CWC was chaired by Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge, and Congress Parliamentary Party chairperson Sonia Gandhi and former party chief Rahul Gandhi were among the 76 leaders attending the meeting.
The Congress has expressed its firmest resolve to be fully prepared at the earliest to fight the Lok Sabha elections both as a party and also as a member of the Indian National Inclusive Developmental Alliance (INDIA), the resolution said.
The CWC also reiterated the determination of the Congress to take all necessary steps to make the INDIA bloc "an effective bulwark and force against the BJP and its allies", it said. It noted that preparations for the Lok Sabha polls have already commenced.
"The 'Hain Taiyyar Hum' rally being held in Nagpur on our Foundation Day a week from now is a very important step in this regard," it said.
The Congress president has been conducting state-wise reviews which are giving direction to the preparations, the resolution said.
The CWC welcomed the latest initiative to strengthen the party's finances through broad-based public participation. Each member of the committee will ensure that it is sustained, the resolution said.
It further stated that economic inequalities are widening while prices of essential commodities continue to rise and a growing jobs famine haunts the youth.
"There is a vast gap between what the Prime Minister (Narendra Modi) claims and what the ground realities are. Social polarisation is deepening and is being encouraged deliberately in a provocative manner for electoral gains," the Congress alleged.
"Democracy itself is under assault and all freedoms that our citizens are guaranteed under the Constitution are under attack. These are the issues at stake now," the resolution said.
The CWC called upon all members of the organisation to stand united with hope and confidence and immerse themselves with dedication and discipline in the election campaign.
(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)
