Report

Kranti Padayatras

The Congress President, Smt. Sonia Gandhi, welcoming the U.S Deputy Secretary of State, Richard Armitage, in New Delhi on 10 May

NEW DELHI : Smt. Gandhi on 15 April held an hour-long meeting with AICC general secretaries to discuss how the action plan could be executed at the district and block levels. In fact, the plan has been divided into three categories — yatras, agitational programmes and workers’ training camps — for effective implementation.

The action plan is based on Smt. Gandhi’s speech at the national convention of the Congress’ block and district presidents. She has given her workers a six-point programme.

It includes holding workers’ training camps, convening workers’ meetings, holding rallies against the BJP and its allies to create awareness, organising panchayat raj conventions in each state on the occasion of the completion of the Panchayat Raj Act.

The Kranti padayatras are in memory of freedom fighters to inspire the younger generation and to honour women for their outstanding work by the "Priyadarshini Puraskar".

A meeting of AICC secretaries was also held a few hours after the meeting with the general secretaries. In a communication to Party functionaries, AICC general secretary, Shri Oscar Fernandes, said the following programmes shall be taken up for the time-being.

1. Block wise workers conventions shall be held in all the blocks all over the country from 1st of May to 15th of June, 2003.

2. District wise party functionaries training programme to be held from the 16th of June to 15th of July, 2003.

3. Kranti Jyoti Yatras to commemorate the Quit India Movement and the sacrifices made by our freedom fighters during the British Rule to be taken out in each of the districts from the 9th of August to 15th of August, 2003.

4. To hold State level Panchayati Raj Sammelans in all the states as per schedule prepared by Shri Mani Shankar Aiyar, Chairman, Political Training Department.

5. Kranti Padayatras’ to be organized on 9th August in memory of freedom fighters so as to educate the new generation about freedom struggle.

6. A yearly ‘Priyadarshini Purasakar’ at district and state level to honour outstanding contribution of a Mahila.

In order to successfully carry out the above programme, PCC’s are requested to immediately convene meetings of district and block Presidents so that action is taken to work out a time table to hold the Block Conventions, the District Training Programmes and the Kranti Jyoti Yatras.

More details on how to organize each of the above said programmes is given. General Secretary and Secretary, AICC in charge of your state have been entrusted with the task of interacting with you and monitoring each of the programmes.

 

1. District level training programme for party workers: District level training programme spread over two days may be organized between June 16th and July 15th, 2003 in which following shall compulsorily participate:

a) Presidents and executive Committee members of the Block and District Congress Committees

b) Heads of frontal organizations – Block and District level

c) District President INTUC

d) Chairpersons – Department and Cells (District level)

e) President/Leader – Nagar Palika/District/ Taluka Parishad and ZP members

f) Mayor/Leader – Municipal Corporation and members

g) Office Bearers and executive members of PCC from concerned district.

h) PCC delegate and AICC members from concerned district

i) MPs –Ex-MPs, MLAs –MLCs – Ex-MLAs, Ex-MLCs, Corporators members of local bodies defeated candidates in Parliament Assembly and local bodies in last election, and

(j) DCC delegates.

The PCC will decide dates, speakers, venues and names of participating senior leaders . Dates may be so fixed that state leaders are able to attend maximum number of training programmes. Text of relevant literature would be sent to PCCs by the AICC well in advance so that it can be translated and given to the trainees. Similarly, PCCs must prepare literature on their state specific relevance to be given to the trainees.

A data bank of participating delegates shall be built up during the programme and best talent shall be identified for future use. Detailed bio-datas of the trainers, blockwise must be compiled with their photographs and a copy should be sent to the AICC.

A further advanced training may be given to identified talents and senior, district level office bearers in the field of media, propaganda and use of information technology for electioneering.

2. Workers convention at Block. District and State levels: Between 1st May 2003 to June 15th, every block Congress Committee shall have to organize workers convention. After completion of the convention in every block of the district, a district level convention shall be organized by DCC and on completion of DCC convention in every district; a State level convention shall be organized by PCC.

Following shall participate compulsorily’ :

1. Village and ward committee presidents.

2. Delegates elected from the local unit at (1) above to the BCC.

3. Remaining active and Primary members registered in the block.

4. MPs, MLAs, MLCs Ex-MPs & Ex-MLAs and all present & past elected representatives from Panchayat level to the Parliament of the area.

5. Defeated Candidates at the last local body election who are supporting Congress ideology.

6. Block level frontal chief and Heads of Deptts and Cells including INTUC along with their executive.

7. Every participant at the BCC level shall compulsorily participate at DCC and PCC level.

8. Members of Mahila & Youth Mandals.

The issues to be discussed at the one- day convention shall include deliberations of National Convention besides other local issues. The following may also be included in the agenda for these conventions.

1. In states where we are in office to educate our workers on the achievements of our states governments. However, where we are in opposition to highlight the failures of the state governments.

2. Highlight the failures of the BJP led NDA government on various fronts including the scams.

3. To highlight the achievements of the Congress Party at the centre under the leadership of Smt. Sonia Gandhi, the Congress President. This should also include history of our freedom struggle, the pre-independence and the Post Independence period. Days of Pandit Jawahar Lal Nehru, Shri Lal Bahadur Shastri, Smt. Indira Gandhi and Shri Rajiv Gandhi. Our achievement in the field of poverty alleviation, green revolution, panchayati raj, education, health etc.

4. Discussion about the effective functioning of the Block Congress Committees.

5. Functioning of Frontal Organisations, Departments, Cell & INTUC.

6. Functioning of intermediate committees (Panchayat level Intermediate Committees)

7. Functioning of unit Congress Committees :-

(a) Formation of Committees

(b) Activities

(c) Holding of Meetings

(d) Discussion on voters lists, revision of voters lists.

(e) Discussion on issue of identity card to the voters.

3. Agitational Programmes:

The Agitational programmes may be categorized in the following manner: -

1. Agitational programmes in Non- Congress ruled state shall focus on the failures of State and Central government and more particularly on the BJP’s divisive ‘policies and the manner of its implementation.

2. Agitational programmes in Congress ruled states shall focus on the failures of Central government, faulty policies of BJP/NDA and its step-motherly attitude towards the state, as it is a Congress ruled state.

The issues to be highlighted during the Agitational programmes (like Dharnas, Morchas, Satyagarahas, demonstrations etc.) shall be decided by PCC in consultation with a core group to be set up at AICC Level. Adaption of this process shall ensure that there is no discrepancy/confusion on issues to be agitated.

4. Panchayati Raj Sammelans:

Shri Mani Shankar Aiyar, Chairman, Political Training Department has already drawn a schedule for holding State level Panchayati Raj Sammelans. The celebrations for 10 years of new Panchayati Raj laws enacted by Congress may be incorporated in the programmes.

5. Kranti Jyot Yatras from 9th August – 15th August

District level "Kranti Jyot Yatra" to be organized in order to remind people of the sacrifices made by our freedom fighters during the freedom struggle. The Yatra shall cover every part of the district and shall commence on "Quit India Day" (9th August) and end up on Independence Day (15th August). A working group at the PCC level, shall decide on the details of the route, propaganda apparatus and its contents and the whole Yatra shall be monitored through a representative of PCC who shall compulsorily accompany the Yatra along with DCC President and PCC/DCC level office bearers belonging to the particular District.

6. ‘Priyadarshini Puraskar’ and other annual awards: Separate instructions will follow.

7 Membership drive and fund mobilization drive.

As per the circular sent by Shri Oscar Fernandes, General Secretary, AICC, the membership and fund mobilization drive shall continue.

The ultimate aim of all these activities shall be to give thrust to the Congress theme of "Congress Ka Haath Garib Ke Saath"

The PCC’s shall immediately convene meeting of the PCC Executive to discuss about the programme given by Congress President for implementation followed by a meeting of Block and District Congress Presidents, Different teams may be formed to deal with each of the programmes and areas. There shall be a sub-committee under a Vice-President or a General Secretary to monitor the entire programme and also to keep the AICC informed about the schedule prepared for each Block Convention and the team of Office Bearers put in-charge of each of the Blocks both from the PCC as well as from the DCC’s. The sub-committee should also be in touch with persons put in charge of implementing the programme from the PCC & DCC’s.

The PCC as may be convenient constitute teams of office bearers and Executive Committee members or even other senior party functionaries to be in charge of the programme district-wise. However from among members of the team there shall be at least two people designated to deal with a particular block. The said team depending upon the manpower required to be mobilized may deal with one block or more than one Block Congress Committee.