Resolution adopted at the AICC Meeting, Ahmedabad, April 9, 2025

NYAY-PATH

Resolve-Dedicate-Struggle

In the Centenary Year of Mahatma Gandhi’s election as the President of the Indian National Congress and the 150th birth anniversary of Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel, we solemnly affirm our commitment to the path of justice — NYAY-PATH.

Why NYAY-PATH?

Sardar Patel had once declared, “When the people stand united, even the most oppressive regime cannot withstand them.” Seventy-five years after independence, the BJP government has inflicted grave injustice upon the people via high inflation, unemployment, huge economic disparity, hateful polarization and state-sponsored cruelty. The very soul of our democracy —the Constitution of India — is under direct assault by those in power, driven solely by their desire to retain power at any cost. The Nation calls out for ‘NYAY’ in the face of the gross injustices effectuated by the ruling party. Undeterred by the prevailing environment of hatred, negativity and despair, the Indian National Congress is committed to build a future of hope, aspiration and positivity by walking the path of NYAY (Justice) and Sangharsh (Struggle).

Legacy of Sacrifice & Nationalism flows in the Veins of Congress!

The legacy of sacrifice is intertwined with the path of the Congress. The history of India has been written in the blood and sacrifice of Congress workers and leaders.

What is ‘Nationalism’ for the Congress?

Of course, territorial integrity of India depicts our nationhood, but ‘Nationalism’, in its true sense, signifies the social, political and economic justice as also empowerment of India’s people. Nationalism denotes protection of rights and equity of progress for the marginalized, the oppressed, and the underprivileged. It ties the entire nation in the spirit of fraternity and brotherhood. Nationalism is rooted in India’s pluralistic and liberal ethos, in our conduct, our beliefs, and our way of life. The idea of Nationalism for Congress is one that binds people together. On the other hand, the pseudo-nationalism of the BJP-RSS seeks to divide the society and our people. The BJP-RSS model of nationalism aims to erase India’s diversity. The nationalism espoused by the Congress is deeply embedded in our shared heritage, while that of the BJP-RSS is marred by vitriol and prejudice. Ironically, the very organizations that stoutly opposed the ‘Freedom Movement’, especially the ‘Quit India Movement’ now claim the contractual rights to issue fake certificates of nationalism. The pseudo-nationalism of the BJP- RSS is nothing but sheer opportunism for power. Their goal is not our unifying nationalism, but a Machiavellian quest for exploitative power. In order to grab and retain power by any means, they seek to divide the nation along the lines of religion, caste, region, language, attire, and food habits. Their hollow brand of nationalism is symbolized by - “Spread Hatred, Seize Power” and “Raid, Invade & Extort Donations”. The path of sacrifice, liberalism and all-encompassing pluralism of the Indian National Congress is truly the embodiment of Indian Nationalism.

Congress: Guardian of Democracy- Defender of the Constitution!

The Constitution of India came into effect on January 26, 1950. Dr. Baba Saheb Ambedkar had himself acknowledged in the Constituent Assembly on November 25, 1949, that ‘drafting the Constitution would have been impossible without the Indian National Congress’. The Constitution shattered centuries of bondage, social orthodoxy, discrimination and subjugation in an instant and granted every citizen of free India the right to equality, dignity, justice, and equal opportunity. The paternal organizations of the BJP - the RSS and the Jan Sangh - found the Indian Constitution incompatible with their irrationality and dogmatic beliefs. From the very beginning, they rejected and undermined the Constitution and have, till date, continued to harbour hostility towards the Constitution.

On assuming power at the Centre for the first time in February 2000, the BJP launched an assault on the Constitution by appointing a Commission to “review the Constitution”. A nationwide protest by the Congress Party at that time thwarted their unconstitutional designs. In the 2024 Lok Sabha elections, BJP leaders & their candidates again revealed their sinister intent to change the Constitution by seeking a mandate of “400 plus”. The people of India responded strongly by defeating their injurious designs and forced the BJP to cling to power with the help of crutches of allies. Their baneful prejudice was again proved, when on December 17, 2024, the Union Home Minister made insulting remarks against Baba Saheb Ambedkar and his followers in the Rajya Sabha. The ruling regime’s systematic and conspiratorial attack on India’s Constitutional Institutions is relentless. This web of unconstitutionality is being executed by premeditated strikes against different institutions - by stripping all semblance of Independence and autonomy of Election Commission of India, by a designed bungling in the electoral voter lists, by coercively and forcibly collecting donations through an illegal ‘Electoral Bond Scheme’ by capturing and enslaving institutions like the CBI, ED, CVC, CAG, CBDT and Income Tax to unleash them against political opponents, writers, thinkers, journalists, artists, film makers, NGO’s, civil society members. The agencies have been weaponized to topple democratically elected Govts. & seize power for BJP through unconstitutional means.

The federal structure of India is also under direct attack. The tactics include financially weakening the States by curtailing their GST revenue share as also by the proposed plan of ‘One Nation, One Election’ for centralization of the federal structure. A glaring & painful example of calculated decimation of federal structure is denial of Statehood to J&K, despite the promise made by the government in the Parliament on August 05, 2019, and the judgement of the Supreme Court, as also failure to fulfil the aspirations of people of Ladakh. This onslaught now extends to the country’s education system by the unilateral imposition of the ‘National Education Policy’, which has become an instrument for ‘academic subjugation’ and ‘commercialization of education’. Manipur is a painful example of this constitutional assault, where the BJP Government instigated and crafted the horrific violence, law and order collapsed, a civil war like situation existed on the ground, yet the BJP Govt. & its complicit CM were permitted to cling to power for months. PM shows no inclination to heal the pain and suffering of people of Manipur or even visit the state till today.

The malady of attack on every institution and compromising its sanctity, by force or by allurement, by the powers that are, has not spared even the Judiciary. The recent incident of recovery of cash from the residence of a Judge is indeed alarming. While the Congress Party recognizes that an independent judiciary is intrinsic to protection of Constitutional principles and democracy, it is also true that Judiciary must set safeguards and standards for accountability. A mechanism for Judicial accountability, without compromising Judicial independence, is the need of the hour. Not only did the Indian National Congress play a decisive role in the framing of the Constitution, it has steadfastly defended it as a soldier over the last 75 years. Our Constitution is the final protector of the rights of India’s 140 Crore fellow Indians. We solemnly pledge that we will never allow anti-Constitution forces to succeed in their destructive designs. Our indelible commitment is to fight back every assault on federal structure like ‘One Nation, One Election’, and ensure restoration of full statehood for J&K, independent & free-thinking processes in our education structure, as also secure a fair & equitable delimitation process.

The Congress Party has worked in the spirit of constructive cooperation and collective efforts, not only with our time-tested political allies but created and sustained the architecture of ‘India Alliance’ on commonality of people’s issues. We stand committed to continuing this effort even in the future.

A continuing Pledge for Social Justice - Yesterday, Today & Tomorrow!

‘Social Justice’ forms the ideological core of the Indian National Congress. We firmly believe that no nation or society can truly progress by leaving behind the oppressed, the marginalized, and the backward communities. This is the foundation for the constitutional provisions of reservations.

History bears witness to the fact that when the Supreme Court struck down the reservations in 1951, it was the Congress Government under the leadership of Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru that enacted the First Amendment to the Constitution and added Article 15(4) in the Chapter on Fundamental Rights. Henceforth, the path for reservation-based social justice was forever safeguarded. In September 1993, it was again the Congress-led Central Government that implemented the Mandal Commission Report and gave 27% reservation to the ‘Other Backward Classes’ (OBCs). Not only this, the Central Government of the Indian National Congress once again wrote history on January 20, 2006, by adding Article 15(5) in the Chapter on Fundamental Rights and granted 27% reservation in educational institutions to OBCs.

The initiative for social justice translated into reality by the First Constitutional Amendment in 1951 is now being decisively carried forward by Congress President, Shri Mallikarjun Kharge and the torchbearer of social justice, Shri Rahul Gandhi himself. The constitutionally guaranteed foundation of social justice can only be strengthened and carried forward by a nationwide ‘Caste Census’. The Telangana Congress Government has shown the way through a ‘Caste Census’, despite the fact that the Constitutional Obligation for a Census is that of the Central Government. The findings of the ‘Socio-Economic Caste Census’ conducted by the Congress Government in 2011 have not been maliciously published by the present Government till today.

In stark contrast, the present BJP government has continuously conspired to dismantle the existing reservation framework for SCs, STs, and OBCs. Public sector undertakings are being sold off and privatized. Privatization leads to automatic abolition of reservation for SCs, STs and OBCs. Nearly 30 lakh vacancies in the Governments, both Centre and States, as also PSUs remain vacant. If posts are not filled up, it automatically takes away the opportunity of reservation for SCs, STs, and OBCs. The ‘Contract & Outsourced Employment’ in Government Jobs is a deliberate attack on reservations.

Over the last decade, the reality of the ruling party is that the SC/ST Sub-Plan and its budgetary allocation has been dismantled. Similarly, the arbitrary ceiling of 50% cap on reservations and lack of Census has denied the rightful dues of OBCs, SCs and STs. Even the OBC reservation in private educational institutions has been denied. All this proves the Anti-SC, ST and OBC mindset of the ruling BJP.

The inhumane atrocities committed against Dalits, Adivasis & Backwards are increasing at an alarming rate of 13% annually. Leaders of the ruling party have themselves been found complicit in multiple such instances of atrocities.

The progressive laws enacted by the Congress—such as the Panchayats (Extension to Scheduled Areas) Act (PESA), 1996; the Forest Rights Act, 2006 —are being deliberately weakened. The constitutional provisions under the Fifth and Sixth Schedules, which safeguard the special rights, cultural identity, traditions and ‘way of life’ of tribal communities are being systematically decimated.

The Congress Party remains steadfast in our commitment to enact a Central law for the SC/ST Sub Plan and guarantee budgetary allocations in accordance with their population. We reiterate the enduring commitment of removal of arbitrary 50% ceiling on reservations for justice to OBC’s, SCs and STs. The Congress Party reaffirms that the fundamental guarantee given under Article 15 (5) (introduced by the Congress on 20th January, 2006) of reservation for OBCs, SCs and STs in private educational institutions must be implemented without delay. Our resolve for the welfare of SC, ST, OBCs remains resolute - yesterday, today and tomorrow.

India’s Pride - Our Toiling Workers & Labourers Pushed into Vulnerability!

The policies of the Congress Party have always been centered around social and economic upliftment of our workers & labourers. Over the past decade, the present-day Central Government has deliberately attacked MGNREGA and weakened other labour-friendly laws. Their wages have stagnated, and the introduction of the Aadhaar-based Payment Bridge System has denied millions of labourer families their right to work & wages. Congress Party is an ardent champion of workers on the GIG platforms and the unorganized sector. We recognize the need for legislations for protection of their rights.

National Harmony - Equal Respect for All Faiths!

At the Jaipur Session of the Indian National Congress on December 18, 1948, Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel affirmed, “The Congress and the Government are committed to ensuring that India becomes a truly secular state.” Our commitment to Secularism is derived from this affirmation and is inspired by the age-old traditions of India, that is ‘Bharat’.

India’s distinct character lies in its pluralistic culture, unparalleled diversity, and the syncretic Ganga-Jamuni Tehzeeb. Not only has the Indian culture embraced diverse philosophies, thoughts and beliefs for centuries, the Constitution enshrines the right of every citizen to freely practice their faith & belief. The foundational principle of the Indian Constitution is non-discrimination—whether on the basis of religion, caste, language, place of residence, attire or food. This is the core of the Congress Party’s ideology.

In stark contrast, the BJP Government and its affiliates are determined to fracture this core national spirit for ‘political gain’ & ‘lust for power’. They seek to divide, partition and bifurcate - to foster divisions on the ground of religion by pitching Hindu v/s Muslim, to create language divides, to fabricate artificial discord between North India v/s South India or to create caste-based rifts and divisions. The ruling regime actively abets religious confrontation and attacks on minorities, particularly Muslims and Christians. The stark truth is that the targeting of Muslims and Christians is making large sections of them live in fear today, which is not only demeaning but a crime against the Constitution. The amendment to the law on Waqf Board, the targeting of Church land, manufactured demonstration outside religious places is all part of this polarizing strategy.

The Indian National Congress is resolutely committed to fighting the politics of religious, linguistic, caste-based, and regional divisions until the last breath. We will not allow India to be divided—nor will we allow those who seek to divide it to succeed in their diabolical designs. Our path is clear: “Nafrat Chhodo, Bharat Jodo” (Quit hate, Unite India).

Women’s Rights - Equal & Equitable Rights for 50% Population!

The strong leadership of Smt. Annie Besant, Smt. Sarojini Naidu, Smt. Nellie Sengupta, Smt. Indira Gandhi and Smt. Sonia Gandhi as National Presidents of INC are a testament to our enduring commitment to Women Empowerment. India’s journey of women’s empowerment began with the Congress ensuring equal rights for women as a fundamental right enshrined in the Constitution. As a result of the far-sighted thinking of Shri Rajiv Gandhi, the Constitution was amended in 1993 to provide for 33% reservation for women in Panchayati Raj & Local Bodies Institutions. This turn of history has facilitated election of over 15 lakh women to the Panchayati Raj & Local Bodies Institutions.

The Women’s Reservation Bill was passed in Parliament in September 2023, but the ruling regime hasn’t implemented it till date. Even at that time, the Congress Party strongly advocated for its immediate implementation, along with reservation for women from Dalit, Adivasi, and Backward Communities.

Over the past decade, crimes against women, ranging from atrocities- exploitation, abuse, violence, have seen an alarming surge. The soul of the ‘Bharat Mata’ suffered a thousand cuts as India’s daughters and its champion women wrestlers were dragged through the streets of Delhi. In violence-torn Manipur, women were publicly stripped and paraded naked. From Hathras to Unnao, the Nation bears thousands of such scars on its conscience.

The BJP Chief Ministers, Central Ministers, and their leaders are habitual offenders in making degrading, vulgar and regressive remarks about women’s clothing, behaviour, character, education, food habits & decision-making abilities. Perhaps, this preconceived and parochial mindset is why not a single woman has become BJP’s National President in last 45 years since its inception nor has any woman been permitted entry as the head of the RSS or as its office-bearer.

The Indian National Congress firmly believes that the country can only progress when its women, who constitute half of the population, are given their full rights, besides equal dignity and full opportunity in nation-building.

Legal Guarantee of MSP for ‘Annadata’!

The enduring partnership of the farmers and the Congress is a witness to the historical farmer’s agitations in Champaran, Bihar as also the impactful and inspirational agitation at Kheda and Bardoli in Gujarat led by Mahatma Gandhi and Sardar Patel. The Congress Party has been the harbinger of pro farmer’s policies and decisions, be it the path-breaking policy of providing ‘Minimum Support Price’ for crops post-independence or ushering in a new dawn of ‘Green Revolution’ and ‘White Revolution’. The soul-stirring slogan of “Jai Jawan, Jai Kisan” given by former Prime Minister, Shri Lai Bahadur Shastri still reverberates.

Whenever farmers have faced adversity or difficulties, the Indian National Congress stood firmly by their side. Whether it was the trail-blazing Farm Loan Waiver of ` 72,000 crore by the Congress-led Central Government, or the unprecedented movement led by Shri Rahul Gandhi in Bhatta-Parsaul, Uttar Pradesh, for ensuring fair compensation for land acquisition. Shri Rahul Gandhi’s struggle led to the Central Congress Government enacting the landmark ‘Right to Fair Compensation Act’ for India’s farmers. On assuming power in the year 2014, the current regime attempted to dismantle this pro-farmer law through an ordinance. Even at that time, the mass resistance movement built by Shri Rahul Gandhi at Ramlila Maidan, Delhi, compelled the current rulers to beat a hasty retreat by withdrawing the ordinance.

Despite the push back, today’s arrogant rulers once again tried to enslave the farmers by bringing in three draconian and ‘anti-agriculture laws’. It led to the biggest farmers’ agitation since independence on the very doorsteps of Delhi. The ‘Farmers Andolan’ lasted for over 16 months, 700 farmers laid down their lives, but the ‘Annadata’ stood his ground against the rulers of Delhi. Once again, INC and its leadership stood with the farmers like a rock. The arrogant and autocratic Modi Government was forced to take back the ‘three black laws’. At that time, the ruling BJP had promised to enact a law to give legal guarantee of MSP, which remains an empty promise even after four years.

The Indian National Congress resolves to enact a law for legal guarantee of MSP, fixation of MSP at 50% over cost price and take decisive steps for a debt-free future for our farmers.

A Sinking Economy & Rising Economic Injustice - Recipe for Disaster!

The policy of ‘Economic Liberalization’ with ‘Inclusive Growth’ espoused by the Congress Governments have provided a sound economic edifice for the nation. Between the years 2004 and 2014, India achieved a remarkable average GDP growth rate of 8% per annum under the sagacious leadership of the Dr. Manmohan Singh-led Congress Government. During this period, 27 crore fellow Indians were lifted out of poverty and a prosperous middle class comprising of nearly 40 crore people materialized as an important participant in our growth story.

Alongside a rapidly growing economy, the Congress government wrote a new chapter of ‘Rights-Based Paradigm’ in India, by which 14 Crore people received ‘Right to Work’ under MGNREGA, 86 core people were given ‘Right to Food’, 10 crore STs got the rights over ‘Jal-Jungle-Jamin’, Crores of Children got ‘Right to Education’& all citizens ‘Right to Information’ for a transparent and accountable government.

In stark disparity, the past decade of the current ruling regime has witnessed the bulldozing of the ‘Rights-based Paradigm’ to subserve the economic interests of a handful of crony capitalist friends. While on one hand, refusal to conduct Census after 2011 has led to denial of ‘Right to Food’ to 11 crore people and on the other hand, 1% of the richest Indians own over 40% of the country’s wealth. Wealth disparity is so extreme that 10% of richest Indians now own 70% of the nation’s wealth. Tragically, the bottom 50% of the poor and the middle class possess only 6.4% of the nation’s wealth.

The gravely flawed economic policies have broken the back of the common man. The soaring prices of essential goods have made them unaffordable for crores of ordinary households. The back-breaking LPG Gas cylinder hike of 50 with effect from 7 April, 2025, has put an additional burden of over 9,000 crore per year on the households. On top of it, increase in the excise duty of petrol and diesel by ` 2 per litre, with a view to deny the benefit of reduced petrol/diesel prices to common man emanating from unprecedented fall in the price of crude oil to US $65 per barrel (lowest in last 5 years) is a brazen ‘loot’ by an extortionist government. Rampant unemployment is now the nation’s biggest epidemic as the unemployment touches a 45-year high. Nearly 30 lakh government jobs are lying vacant. Resultantly, our ‘Demographic Dividend’ is turning into ‘Demographic Disaster’, with our literate but unemployed young men and women being driven towards drugs and psychotropic substances, owing to lack of opportunities.

The stagnant wages and deepening economic uncertainty in India have witnessed a staggering 300% increase in gold loans over just five years, that also by mortgage of precious household jewellery by ordinary Indians.

The stalled consumption is dragging down India’s GDP growth & discouraging the private sector from investing in capacity expansion. Private investment is at a historical low, which exposes the hollowness of the ‘Make in India’ campaign.

The ‘ideological somersaults’ & ‘Policy About-Turns’ symbolizes the character of the BJP regime. Their opportunist ‘about-turn’ is evidenced by BJP’s strong opposition to ‘Direct Benefit Transfer’ (DBT), Aadhar, GST, FDI in retail, FDI in defence, Indo-US Nuclear Deal, when in opposition and becoming the stout champions of the same policies, when in power. The Current Government is systematically eliminating competition across sectors to pave the way for monopolies, duopolies and oligopolies - manned by two or three favoured industrialists. On the contrary, MSMEs, the real job creators, have been pushed to the brink of bankruptcy. The cheap and highly subsidized import of Chinese goods has further destroyed the financial viability of our MSMEs.

The Indian National Congress firmly believes that the revival, protection and promotion of MSMEs and mid-level industries is paramount for job creation and the growth of domestic manufacturing. Congress envisions an economy, where India’s young entrepreneurs and manufacturers thrive, become wealth creators through legitimate means and it leads to genuine competition that breaks the grip of a handful of favourite sponsored monopolists.

India must also establish our leadership position in future-friendly technologies, including Artificial Intelligence, Robotics, Drones, Battery Storage, Blockchain Technology, Renewable Energy and Emerging Energy Resources to reclaim our space in the league of nations. That successive Congress Govts, beginning with Pandit Nehru, laid down a robust scientific and technological infrastructure that earned India the global recognition in the field of science & technology. This infrastructure and spirit of scientific enquiry have been undermined by the current regime over the last decade. This institutional weakening is a major obstacle to India’s progress.

A Weak-kneed & Failed Foreign Policy!

The Successive Congress Governments of INC enhanced India’s global stature and demonstrated leadership on the world stage through a principled and visionary foreign policy. Our governments’ foreign policy was always centered around protection of India’s interests, global balance of power, finding solutions through mutual harmony & dialogue, international co-operation and peaceful resolution of disputes. Sadly, the current regime has compromised India’s foreign policy at the altar of ‘individual branding’ and serving ‘vested interests’. Congress Party believes that India’s foreign policy can’t be an instrument of divisive politics for the domestic political agenda, as is being done by the BJP government.

The position in our neighbourhood is indeed worrisome. China has illegally occupied thousands of square kilometres of Indian territory in Eastern Ladakh, yet the current BJP Government, founded upon the rhetoric of showing ‘lal aankh’ (‘red eyes’), has utterly failed to restore the status quo ante, as it existed prior to April 2020. The proposed construction of the world’s largest dam by China on the Brahmaputra River is an alarming development, particularly for Assam and other North-Eastern States. The rise of radical elements in neighbouring Bangladesh is also a matter of serious concern, as it has already created an unsafe environment for religious minorities, including Hindus, Buddhists & Christians.

The unfolding of the large-scale humanitarian tragedy, kidnappings and consequent bombings & thousands of deaths of innocents in Gaza in the Palestine-lsrael conflict has met with a studied silence from our ruling regime. Congress Party reaffirms our policy for a negotiated and peaceful resolution as also for the creation of a separate state of Palestine as per the U.N. Resolution. The Indian National Congress remains a strong votary of close ties between India and the United States, but it can never happen at the expense of India’s national interests. During the Prime Minister’s visit to Washington, D.C., we were publicly insulted in PM’s presence and our country was labelled as a ‘Tariff Abuser’. Indian migrants were treated like animals and deported from the United States in chains and handcuffs. Unfortunately, even the External Affairs Minister justified this inhumane treatment of our migrants by the U.S.

As on April 03, 2025, United States has imposed +27% tariff on Indian Goods exported to United States, which will severely impact India’s foreign trade. U.S., on the other hand, is pressing for reduction of import duties on American goods, particularly in sectors such as Agriculture & Horticulture, Automobiles, and Pharmaceuticals. This would deal a serious blow not only to Indian farmers but also to our dynamic domestic automobile and pharmaceutical industries. The Congress Party calls upon the ruling regime to undertake a constructive negotiation with U.S on tariffs by placing our national interests first and after taking into confidence all political parties and stakeholders. For the present BJP Government, foreign policy has been reduced to a policy of weakened leadership and helpless submission, which is unacceptable.

Organisational Empowerment is our Goal!

The organization of Indian National congress was born out of freedom struggle. The quest of the struggle was not only India’s liberation but a decisive fight for the rights of its citizens. Even today, wherever ‘Injustice’ manifests, be it discrimination on the ground of caste or religion, inequity perpetuated between rich and the poor or the prejudice against the deprived, the oppressed and the marginalized; the Congress organization rises in defence as a ‘Jan-Andolan’. That the year 2025 has been declared as a year of organizational empowerment in the special CWC meeting convened in Belagavi. We are committed to strengthen our organization in this year to take on and defeat the most arrogant, unjust and oppressive forces.

A Pledge to Justice - A Path of Struggle!

At the sacred land of Mahatma Gandhi and Sardar Patel, the Indian National Congress calls upon every congress worker in the Nation to unite with unwavering resolve, to tread upon the path of ‘NYAY’. The INC takes a solemn pledge to expand and strengthen its vast organizational capacity, capabilities and competence to fulfil our collective pledge to fight for ‘NYAY’ for every Indian. This struggle shall bear fruit and path of justice shall win. Times demand that Dinkar Ji’s lines be redefined and rewritten to describe the path of victory for ‘NYAYPATH’: Chaley sangharsh aathon yam tumse, Karenge annt tak sangraam tumse. Hamare ‘Nyay’ ki sankalpana sakaar hogi,

Congress ki fir jai jaikar hogi.