India is now better "informed and equipped" than ever before and its
people now demand more from their leaders, Congress president Sonia
Gandhi told a crucial party conclave in Jaipur on Friday.
She said that the citizens were "rightly fed up with the levels of corruption" in public life at high levels as well as in their daily lives and that it was a
phenomenon that "we must understand and continue to respond to".
"Aided by the tools of the modern world- television, social media,
mobile phones and the internet, today's India is better informed and
better equipped to communicate," said Gandhi Gandhi at the three-day
conclave called Chintan Shivir, which will chart the party's course for
the 2014 general elections.
"Today's India is a better informed and equipped community. The
technology we facilitated leads electorate to ask more of its leaders."
"We
cannot allow growing educated middle classes to be alienated from the
political process," said Gandhi, probably hinting at allegations that
the Congress-led UPA government was insensitive to popular opinion.
"We cannot allow our growing, educated middle classes to be disillusioned and alienated from the political process," she said.
Gandhi urged party leaders and workers to "seriously" debate issues facing the debate and set aside "personal ambition."
"We should be coming together setting aside personal ambitions and egos, so that the party thrives".
Asking the Congress to look at its strengths, weaknesses and threats,
Gandhi said: "There is increased competition and inroads have been made
in our traditional strongholds. We have to strike a fine balance
between respecting alliances and ensuring rejuvenation of the party."
She asked partymen to observe austerity. "Lavish weddings will lead to questions on where money came from," she said.
Top
Congress leaders, including Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and party
general secretary Rahul Gandhi, will attend the strategy meet, to
discuss issues like political and economic challenges, foreign affairs,
women's empowerment, and organisational strength.
The meet is
being held at the 1,200-capacity Birla auditorium in the heart of
Jaipur. The auditorium and the city have been specially decorated to
welcome delegates.
Around 350 delegates, including central
ministers, All India Congress Committee (AICC) leaders, state unit
chiefs and Congress Legislative Party (CLP) leaders, besides members of
youth Congress and NSUI, will attend.
The session will conclude
on January 20 with the AICC session, likely to be attended by over 1,200
delegates from across the country.
The consensus reached here will be formally adopted by the AICC as the Jaipur Declaration.
Source: http://www.hindustantimes.com/India-news/Jaipur/Sonia-Gandhi-tells-Congress-wake-up-to-a-better-informed-and-aspirational-India/Article1-992808.aspx
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