From Swaraj To Satellites

Jawaharlal Nehru came to symbolise the best of the Congress culture in many ways. With him, at the helm of affairs, the Congress was able to build a national ethos based on the principles of socialism and democracy. For a country with a long history of tribal, feudal and colonial authoritarianism, the introduction of democracy meant a great leap into the future. Nehru played his most creative role in the socio-economic transformation of India. His understanding of global issues promoted India’s image across the world as an anti-imperialist, anti-colonial, anti-fascist and anti-racist nation.

The Challenges Of Modernisation

The challenges of modernisation began with Gandhiji’s determination to wipe every tear from every eye. Having galvanised the nation into fighting for its freedom, the leaders of the Congress went on to create the infrastructure that would lead India into a new age of development.

Later Congress Prime Ministers, Indira Gandhi and Rajiv Gandhi, continued development projects related to science and technology, agriculture, education, eradication of poverty and unemployment, and the peaceful uses of nuclear energy. The Congress has always advocated the process of change and growth, yet it is deeply rooted in the values that have shaped the country’s culture.

The Congress Of The People

When pre-Independence Congress leaders spoke of swaraj, the ideal they strove towards was a nation whose citizens lived in unity and had equality of opportunity. Now, over a century later, its mass base involving people from every caste, class and creed of society, accounts for its long-standing dominance of the Indian political scene since Independence.

The Congress has ably steered India from 1947-77, 1980-89 and 1991-96. During this period in government, it achieved remarkable success in all fields of endeavour. Success that has put India firmly on the road to the 21st century. Read about some of these achievements in a special section.

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