In January 1980, the people of India gave to the Congress (I), led by Indira Gandhi, a massive mandate to rebuild the economy and the polity of the nation. During 1977-79 the constant infighting among the constituents of the Janata Government reduced the Central Government to a farce. The economy received crippling blows from sheer ineptitude. India's international standing and strength were undermined. It was a period of shame and sorrow.

2. The Indira Gandhi rehabilitated the shattered economy and placed it on the path of dynamic growth during 1980-84. She fought valiantly to preserve the unity and integrity of India and ultimately made the supreme sacrifice of her own life for this sacred cause.

3. The Congress (I) salutes the memory of one of the greatest leaders of the twentieth century who led the struggling millions of Indians towards a life of material, cultural and spiritual fulfillment, and strode the world like a gentle colossus in search of peace and international understanding. Indira Gandhi is not amongst us, but her immortal spirit will inspire succeeding generations. The people of India will always cherish her memory because it was she who pulled them out of the depths of despair and made them out of the depths of despair and made them walk with self-confidence and pride on the path of unity and progress.

4. The Congress (I) is determined to follow the path shown by Mahatma Gandhi, Jawaharlal Nehru and Indira Gandhi. India's democratic system has demonstrated its strength and resilience following the heinous and dastardly assassination of Indira Gandhi. In Shri Rajiv Gandhi the nation and the Congress (I) have a young and dynamic leader who symbolizes the aspirations of our people for stability, continuity and change.

5. Momentous issues confront the nation. The country faces, as never before in its post-independence history, a serious threat to its unity and integrity. The forces of destabilization are extremely active. The assassination of Indira Gandhi is part of a wider design. Their vicious and unholy plan is to divide India, for a strong, united and non-aligned India is a potential threat to their international grand design.

6. It is against this grim background that elections to the Eighth Lok Sabha are being held. The Congress, with its revolutionary tradition of struggle for independence, of unceasing battle against imperialism and new-colonialism and with its unsurpassed experience for launching and implementing a radical programme of socio-economic transformation, is the only political party capable of responding to the challenge.

7. The Congress Centenary year begins in December 1984. Millions of Indians have fought under its tricolour flag to win freedom and to build a new society free from social and economic exploitation. This partnership between the people and the Congress (I) is the cornerstone of India's political stability and its unprecedented social and economic advance. This partnership is the guarantee of India's unity and integrity. The Indian National Congress (I) once again invites the people to strengthen this partnership to meet the sinister threat to the unity and integrity of India.

8. What is the legacy of the Indian national Congress (I)? Let us remember with pride the historic struggle of the Indian people against British imperialism under the leadership of Mahatma Gandhi. Let us remember that Jawaharlal Nehru, the builder of modern India, gave us the guiding principles of democracy, secularism, socialism and non-alignment. He laid the foundations of a technologically modern and self-reliant economy. Indira Gandhi carried forward this monumental task. She strengthened the national economy and made it self-reliant. She worked tirelessly for national integration. India's voice for peace, disarmament and development was heard with disarmament and development was heard with respect in the world. She filled us with self-confidence and a sense of purpose. As the Prime Minister said, "She gave us back our pride".

9. This legacy belongs to the entire Indian people. Today it is under challenge-challenge from communal, subversive and separatist forces. And from their external allies. Why? The answer to this question needs to be understood by every patriot.

10. The political, economic and foreign policies followed by the Indian National Congress released powerful forces in the Indian society for ending the age-old divisions of caste, creed and community. The structure of a modern society took shape wherein all citizens can live together and enjoy civil liberties and the fruits of progress without any discrimination on the basis of caste, religion, region or sex. The prolonged stagnation of the economy under the colonial era gave way to the flowering of productive forces in modern agriculture and industry, geared to the task of building an independent and self-reliant economy. A cultural revolution of far-reaching significance was ushered in. Education was brought within the reach of the masses. Its elitist character disappeared. Science and technology made rapid strides changing the texture and the content of the lives of millions. We created technical and scientific manpower, which is second to none in competence and dynamism. In foreign policy India refused to subordinate its judgment to any outside power and consistently pursued its chosen policy of promoting a peaceful world and for ending the glaring inequalities between nations.

11. These policies have given India the strength to play a crucial world role, which is not liked by neo-imperialist and new-colonial forces determined to maintain their hegemony. Hence their attempt to destabilize India.

12. The strategy of distabilisation is being pursued with the help of communal, subversive and separatist forces within the country. Violent agitations have been launched. In Assam a determined effort was make to inject communalism into demands, which had a different origin. Orderly functioning of society was sought to be disrupted.

13. In Punjab the forces of communalism and subversion, which received support from the opposition parties, carried out a systematic plan to plunge the State into disorder and anarchy. All efforts to find a peaceful settlement were frustrated. Centuries old relationship of brotherhood and solidarity between different communities was sought to be destroyed by poisonous propaganda. An organized attempt was made to destroy the very fabric of India's unity and integrity by establishing centers of supervision in places of worship. External forces inimical to India extended every kind support to these nefarious activities. Indira Gandhi and the Congress (I) stood firm and did not hesitate to take hard decisions to safeguard the nation's integrity.

14. The Congress (I) is proud that both Hindus and Sikhs are standing shoulder to shoulder to preserve the legacy of unity and brotherhood. The patriotic Sikh community will never accept separatist slogans.

15. The Indian people will never compromise on the fundamentals of India's unity and integrity. The Congress (I) reflects their invincible nationalism. It will fight with all its strength those elements and forces which are attempting to reverse the historical processes which have led to the unification of India.

16. The Congress (I) is the only political party which can and will keep the country together. It transcends narrow religious, linguistic, regional and parochial affiliations, having inherited the mantle of Mahatma Gandhi-Jawaharlal Nehru - Indira Gandhi.

17. The country reaped a bitter harvest from the brief tenure of disparate and heterogeneous parties and groups with limited sectional and territorial appeal and without a coherent policy framework. They are active again under different names, but their essence remains the same. Their backward looking, communal and reactionary policies and programmes have no relevance to the tasks facing the Indian people. Their sole interest is to somehow capture political power and thereafter to proceed to undo everything that the people of the country have achieved through hard toil. Their permutations and combinations, which appear today and disappear tomorrow, are conclusive evidence to show that they are totally unfit to govern this vast and diverse country.

Achievements of the Congress (I) During 1980-84

18. The Congress (I) promised an effective Government. Indira Gandhi fulfilled this promise.

• - The planning process was resumed after its disastrous dismantling under the Janata Party rule.
• - The growth rate in the Sixth Plan will be around 5.4%, which is higher than the target.
• - Inflation raging at 21.6% in January 1980 has been brought down to well below 6.5% in 1984-85.
• - Public sector investment has grown at 9.9%.
• - Nearly 94% of the resources needed for investment have been mobilized from internal sources.- India has avoided the debt crisis.
• - India formulated an adjustment programme to deal with the international economic crisis. It is the only country to have terminated an International Monetary Fund arrangement without drawing its full amount.
• India was entitled to draw $ 5 billion but Government terminated the arrangement after drawing $ 3.9 billion. There was no compromise with our basis policies of self-reliance and social justice. The success of our adjustment programme has evoked worldwide appreciation

19. Let us now look at different sectors. In agriculture:

- Food grains production rose form 109 million tones in 1979 -80 to the record level of 151 million tones in 1983-84 - The sixth Plan target of 153 million tonnes will be achieved in 1984-85. - Fertilizer prices were reduced by 7.5% stimulating an impressive increase in fertilizer consumption. - Support prices fro agricultural commodities increased significantly: Support price for wheat by 29.9 percent. Support price for Paddy by 38.9 percent. Support price for Coarse Grains by 30.5 percent. Support price for Gram by 55.5 percent. Support price for Groundnut by 65.8 percent. Support price for Rapeseed and mustard by 46.8 percent. Support price for Arhar, Moong and Urad by 40 to 48.5 percent. Support price for Cotton by 49.1 percent. - An average of Rs. 720 crores spent annually on fertilizer subsidy. - An average of Rs. 750 crores spent annually on food subsidy to keep the food prices at a reasonable level. - Agricultural credit expended. Rs. 2900 crores disbursed in 1983-84; during the Janata party rule this level was Rs. 1926 crores. - Large scale programmes in all the 5000 blocks to help the small and marginal farmers.

20. In industry: -

• The Congress (I) has led an industrial revival. In 1979-80 industrial production had declined by 1.4%. In 1983-84 a growth of 33% in 1981-82.
• - The public sector was discounted and denigrated by the Janata Party Government. Under the Congress (I) the Public Sectors production went up by 14.6% in 1982-83 on top of a growth of 33% in 1981-82.
• - Indigenous production of crude oil has shown spectacular increase. Nearly 30 million tonnes in 1984-85 as against 11.7 million tones in 1979-80.
• - Dependence on imported oil reduced from 71% to 35%.
• - Coal production expected to be 150 million tones in 1984-85; in 1979-80 it was 103 million tonnes.
• - Nitrogenous and phosphatic fertilizers have increased from 2.98 million tonnes in 1979-80 to an expected 4.87 million tonnes in 1984-85.
• - Electricity generation in 1984-85 expected to be 164 billion units; in 1979-80 112 billion units.
• - 1400 MW additional capacity in the power sector will be built up in the Sixth Plan, which alone is 50% of the total capacity built up till 1979-80.

21. The 20-Point Programme of Indira Gandhi has:

• - Helped 15 million families to acquire productive assets for raising their incomes.
• - Generated 2030 million maydays of employment through the National Rural Employment Programme and the Rural Landless labour Employment Guarantee Programme.
• - Provided clean drinking water supply to 2.07 lakh villages.
• - Helped 8.5 million persons in slum areas to improve their environment.
• - Electrified 1,21,005 villages. - Energised 1.7 million pumping sets.

22. The Janata Party Government put Indian science and technology back by several years. The objective of self-reliance meant little to the Janata coalition. The Congress (I) restored the confidence and pride of Indian scientists. Significant progress has been achieved in the areas of nuclear and space research and in oceanography. The indigenously designed atomic power station in Madras, the INSAT 1-B and the expedition to Antarctica are symbols of the onward march of Indian science and technology.

23. From this magnificent base created by Jawaharlal Nehru and Indira Gandhi, the Congress (I) will take the country forward.

Future Programme: Secularism

24. Our foremost task is to preserve the unity and integrity of India. The Congress (I) will:

• - Strengthen secular forces by building a national consensus against communalism.
• - Spearhead a broad based mass movement against divisive forces.
• - Take the strongest possible action against communal propaganda. - Prevent the misuse of places of worship for preaching communal hatred, for collection and storage of arms or similar illegal purposes.
• - Take stern action against instigators of communal violence. It will ensure the safety of life and property of all citizens, irrespective of caste, creed or community.