Senior leaders Shri A.K. Antony, Shri Ghulam Nabi Azad, Shri P. Chidambaram and Shri Mukul Wasnik briefed the media about the CWC meeting held on 6th June, 2017 at 10 Janpath, New Delhi, discussed on various issues.

Shri Ghulam Nabi Azad said he is going to brief the Media persons on behalf of the Congress Working Committee.

This morning we had the Congress Working Committee meeting at 10 Janpath presided over by the Hon’ble Congress President Smt. Sonia Gandhi, Dr. Manmohan Singh Ji, Congress Vice President Shri Rahul Gandhi Ji, Shri Antony Ji, Shri Chidambaram Ji, Shri Mukul Ji and almost every Member of the CWC was present.

The Agenda items proposed for the Congress Working Committee were discussed along with approval of the Minutes of the previous Working Committee Meeting and Condolence resolution.

The opening remarks by the Hon’ble Congress President is being circulated. This is most important because it covers almost everything what we discussed and once I am done with few points in Hindi, we are going to circulate the opening and also Presidential remarks of the Congress President and remarks of the former Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh.

We also discussed and approved the schedule for the Organizational elections. The upcoming election of the President and Vice President of India was briefly discussed because very recently we had an All-Party meeting. Hon’ble Congress President Smt. Gandhi hosted a lunch for the senior Leaders and Party functionaries of Opposition Parties in the Parliament and it was decided during that meeting that we should have a small Sub Group and that Sub Group should discuss as to how to go about the Presidential and Vice Presidential Election. Prevailing situation in Jammu & Kashmir was also discussed. As I said in the beginning, I think most of the points are covered in Smt. Gandhi’s opening remarks.

Addressing the media-persons, Shri Ghulam Nabi Azad on behalf of CWC at first congratulated ISRO which has done a tremendous job for the last 60 years. The then Congress government imagined a dream for ISRO. Today that dream is coming true and not only our country but the whole world is getting benefitted from it. We hope that ISRO will continue to do excellent job in future.

The NDA government has completed 3 years in office. Whatever the NDA may celebrate; as much money of government fund is used for their celebration as they want; the whole cabinet may congratulate one another on TV round the clock; but for the country their three years have been very disappointing. During these 3 years, the NDA government gave the country nothing but fear and apprehension. This fear and apprehension was not limited to only dethroning the Opposition governments but innumerable dalits, young men, women, minority became the victim of it. The media doesn’t toe the government’s line but we witnessed a sample of it in last 24 hours. Those who are pushed back for the last 3 years are not complaining but we all are witnessing it with its nudity. Many people including their friends have taken bank loans in lakhs and crores, but government sector banks didn’t incur loss. But the government of India became restless over a bank loan of Rs. 50 crore availed by a television channel from a private bank. They tried to show in such a way.

What is happening with dalits? We observed it in Saharnapur and also are observing such sort of incidents on daily basis. How the minorities are being treated for the last 3 years? Crime against women has increased 30% our sisters and daughters find it difficult to step out of their homes. This government’s slogan is, “Sabka Saath, Sabka Vikas” but it is doing just opposite of it. This government is of only slogans and publicity. Those who appear heroes in TV are Zero as far as works on the ground are concerned.

The youth are deceived most. Crores of young men and women are unemployed. They were promised that job opportunities to the tune of 10 crores in 5 years will be provided. Each year 1 crore jobs. No one got a new job. Crores of people, employed in Organized and unorganized sector particularly in infrastructure and construction sector lost their jobs. From labourers to carpenters all became jobless.

The CWC expressed its full sympathy to farmers. The UPA government cared much for farmers. That’s why the output soared. During Lok Sabha election campaign, the NDA government promised that it will provide a 50% surplus on the cost of the crops and MSP will be increased. But all their promises are false. In this year, about twelve thousand farmers here committed suicides. Across the country, farmers are in distress. Drought is creating havoc in the South whereas farmers are committing suicides. On today itself, big protest are underway in Maharashtra and Madhya Pradesh. The BJP governments in respective states instead of showing sympathy are lathi-charging them. They have become brutal.

Prices are soaring in the 3 years. The price of crude oil has nosedived but its benefit is not being provided to people.

To praise itself, this NDA government brought demonetization scheme in November. The Congress Party, the opposition, our former PM Dr. Manmohan Singhji and former Finance Minister said it categorically inside and outside Parliament that the demonetization scheme will badly affect GDP and economy. But the government rejected all these claims and within a year the country accepted decline in GDP. Our economy is bearing the loss. Jobs are decreasing; industrial production is falling; unemployment in on rise; educated youth and those who are studying have nothing but despair and disappointment. The NDA government has treated farmers, labourers, the youths, the poor, the weaker section, women, minorities and the media badly but the NDA and the BJP can’t see it because they are under the influence of power.

No one in the whole world has as much misused the government machinery as this NDA government in last three years. The government machinery has been misutilized to threaten and to frighten people. This government doesn’t have the capacity of forbearance of the voice of dissent whether it is print or electronic media. It seems that this government doesn’t have faith in democracy.

The CWC discussed the issue of Kashmir. The Kashmir policy of the government is of confrontation and alienation. Our soldiers are being killed everybody. The soldiers of the Indian Army, BSF, CRPF, Police and the civilians are being killed. Children, youths, the older people all are being killed. The government’s alienation policy is wrong. For how much time, our soldiers and civilians will be killed? When the PDP-BJP government was formed they gave assurance to the nation. They assured during Lok Sabha elections. During the UPA government, the coalition government of the Congress and the National Conference, Peace prevailed in the valley. The situation in Kashmir was towards peace and normalcy. On the Kashmir front, the NDA government has proved completely unsuccessful, ineffective and worthless.