Belagavi (Karnataka), Dec 17 (IANS) Lok Sabha MP and Congress General Secretary, K.C. Venugopal and AICC General Secretary and Karnataka Incharge Randeep Singh Surjewala arrived in Karnataka’s Belagavi on Tuesday to oversee final preparations and visit historical sites for the celebration of the historic centenary of the Belagavi convention.
In 1924, Mahatma Gandhi became the AICC President and assumed the leadership role in the Independence struggle during the Belagavi Session.
Speaking to reporters in Belagavi, Venugopal stated, “On December 26 and 27, we are celebrating the 100 year anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi’s presidentship. The Belagavi conference was one of the historic events in our Indian political history. The extended working committee meeting was organised here on December 26 afternoon, followed by a massive rally. Details of the programme would be chalked out. We will visit the sites and come back to you.”
Meanwhile, Karnataka’s Deputy Chief Minister, D.K. Shivakumar, spoke to the media near the Belagavi Circuit House and Peernawadi Gandhi Bhavan.
“The fact that Mahatma Gandhi assumed office as the President of the Congress during the Belagavi Session is a historical blessing for Karnataka,” he said.
“When Mahatma Gandhi became the Congress President, only Gangadhar Deshpande and Jawaharlal Nehru served as the Principal Secretaries. At that time, Deshpande invited Gandhi ji to hold the AICC session in Belagavi,” Shivakumar added.
“A well was dug to provide drinking water for the people who attended that session. After 100 years, Karnataka’s own Mallikarjun Kharge is now the AICC President. Then it was Mahatma Gandhi, and now it is Kharge who holds this prestigious position,” Shivakumar underlined.
In the interim, many Congress leaders like late Nijalingappa, Indira Gandhi, Rajiv Gandhi and former AICC leader Sonia Gandhi, plus Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi, have all served as Congress presidents.
“There was initially a discussion to hold this year’s session at the Sabarmati Ashram in Gujarat. Later, I proposed Belagavi to the AICC, and they agreed,” Shivakumar stated.
“As part of the ‘Gandhi Bharat’ programme on October 2, we marched from the Gandhi Bhavan in Bengaluru to the Gandhi statue at Vidhana Soudha on behalf of the state government. Later, on behalf of the party, we marched from Gandhi Circle to Bharat Jodo Bhavan in Bengaluru.
“Now, as part of the continuation, the Congress Working Committee meeting will be held in Belagavi on December 26,” Shivakumar maintained.
This programme will be attended by AICC President Mallikarjun Kharge, Sonia Gandhi, Rahul Gandhi, Priyanka Gandhi, all members of the Congress Working Committee, Chief Ministers, MLAs, and MPs.
“The following day, a massive public rally will take place. Party leaders, including panchayat members, committee and corporation members, and nominated representatives, will also participate in the rally,” Shivakumar announced.
Shivakumar further declared that a Gandhi statue would be inaugurated near Suvarna Vidhana Soudha in Belagavi, and all MLAs and Council leaders from various parties will be invited to this event. This programme will be led by the Speaker and Chairpersons.
“AICC General Secretaries will visit and inspect the event venues, after which more details about the other programmes will be provided. ‘Opportunities do not come looking for us; we have to seek them out,’ as Indira Gandhi once said. Sonia Gandhi has written a book about Indira Gandhi’s wise words. I have translated that book into Kannada, and it will be released during the Gandhi Bharat programme,” Shivakumar stated.
A meeting will be held with all the leaders of the Belagavi region at the Congress office to discuss preparations for the event, he said.
–IANS
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