Press Statement by GPCC President I feel very nostalgic standing here addressing you today, on my ‘janambhoomi’ and original ‘karambhoomi’. It is with mixed feelings I welcome you: On the one hand, it is nice to be back with my Congress family in Goa. On the other hand, it is very sad that Party organization in Goa is passing through a critical stage. Let me be frank. The results of the Assembly Election and thereafter the Lok Sabha Election were shockingly bad. Although the morale of our workers is at its lowest ebb, they have, in them, inherent energy and more particularly, an immense love for the Congress Party which was formed not on the foundation of cheap emotional and sectarian slogans but is built on an abiding secular foundation. Let me reassure you that the Congress has immense potential within it, which we have to tap for the good of the State. My only role is that of a catalyst in that process. Congress is a mass-based Party, we have our strengths our glorious history, and our national leaders like Mahatma Gandhi, Jawaharlal Nehru and Sardar Vallabhai Patel have guided the destiny of this great nation. We have, however, also made mistakes. We have to accept our mistakes in all humility. My slogan in the past had been “People are Masters, Serve them Better” or “PRAJA IS RAJA”. You may recall I had organized a public grievances durbar and taken the Party to the grass-root level in the State. I wish to continue this practice. I would like to tell you that I will not be spending my time confined to Congress House. I will visit the villages of Goa and try to understand the problems of the citizens before trying to solve them. We must listen to the true voice of the people before we act. I appeal to my office bearers to go to the villages and meet booth-level workers of the Congress and the ordinary folk who make Goa glorious. Our mission, bluntly, is to “Perform or Perish”. Let us relearn the concept of sacrifice, let us not hanker after power as an end but pursue it only a means to an end. Please don’t regard me as a competitor -- I have no other interest except the Congress Party and Goa. I am grateful I got everything in Goa, I was born in Goa and the State has given me the highest honour by giving me the opportunity to serve as its Chief Minister. I am here today to repay that debt. Over the past years, oor National President Smt. Sonia Gandhi requested me to serve the Party at the National level and God has blessed my efforts. As General Secretary of the AICC in-charge of seven States where the Party has suffered reverses earlier, we have done better in most of the seven States of the North East (and earlier in Karnataka) this time around. I call these States jewels in the crown of the Congress in India and I attribute the reason for our victory to the strengthening of the Congress Party from the grassroots up to the booth level. My appeal to all our senior leaders is to unite under the leadership of Smt. Sonia Gandhi and learn to respect the humble worker at the booth level. We must protect the dignity, self-respect and sacrifices of the Party workers. There is no magic wand but a magic formula: “ÜNITY AND DISCIPLINE”, STRENGHTHENING & CONSOLOLIDATION OF ORGANISATION. We have to carry out an intensive membership drive and launch Training Programs on the Party’s ideology, Policies and Programs with the youth of Goa as a special focus. We have many issues before us. We are a democratic party and I will discuss these issues with my Colleagues in the Party and come to you with our decisions at regular intervals. Besides many committees like Block Committees, District Committees and Pradesh Congress Committee, we have different cells like Vichar Vibag, professional cells, economic cells etc. I wish to strengthen these cells so that people from different strata of society get involved in the Party organization. If you turn the pages of history, you will find that persons of all communities irrespective of which class they belong to have found a respectful place in our Party. We have had leaders of different communities as Chief Ministers and Party leaders right from the lowest level to the highest level of the Party organization. This is our strength which has its foundation in Secularism and Inclusive Development. Ours is one of the oldest and largest democratic parties in the world. India is young, as 65% of our population is below the age of 35 years. They are the leaders of tomorrow whose interests must be paramount for us. We have a responsibility towards the state and the nation to provide the youth opportunities and ensure all citizens reap the benefits of development and progress not just a few. Our energies will be channelized to build a strong Goa for the future. In conclusion I will say just one line: Here I stand, and I ask you all to stand with me, FOR GOA. So help us God.
Posted on: Tue, 14 Oct 2014 02:56:02 +0000
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