Congress president Sonia Gandhi has invoked the name of former prime minister Indira Gandhi to drive home the message of the importance of austerity to party leaders.
Congress president Sonia Gandhi has invoked the name of former prime minister Indira Gandhi to drive home the message of the importance of austerity to party leaders.
In her 'Letter to Congresspersons' in the latest issue of party mouthpiece 'Congress Sandesh', Gandhi said, "Let us reflect on and recall the simple and austere manner of her living and conducting herself ... Let us not just reflect and recall. Let us also resolve to continue to be guided by her."
The signed article of the Congress president focussed on the contributions of the late prime minister in various facets of political life and the country's development on the eve of her 25th death anniversary falling on October 31.
"Her far-reaching decision to nationalise our banks in July 1969 not only gave our banking system a social anchor but also helped India to become one of the few countries to navigate the world financial crisis of 2008 and 2009 in a resilient manner," she said.
The party mouthpiece appeared critical of some Congress leaders who went to dalit households in Uttar Pradesh without the "feelings" and with modern day comforts.
"Lately it has become fashionable to emulate for an audience the practices of Gandhiji, without having the feelings which made him so great," the editorial remarked. The editorial noted, "many leaders in a bid to attract media attention, make a mockery of some of the party's programmes".
It said that a good leader is one who can propagate the vision of the party by setting an example himself.
"The acts of mockery of some can ruin the genuine efforts of others who wish to imbibe the Gandhian principles and live by them. A word of caution is necessary," the editorial said.
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