Senior Congress leader Shashi Tharoor said that his party could have been more vocal on issues such as the bulldozer demolition drives against Muslims and murder in the name of cow vigilantism.
Speaking at the 85th plenary session of the party, the former Union minister said that the Congress should stand up for its foundational principles and should be “absolutely clear” in its ideological stance in favour of an inclusive India.
“We should be absolutely clear in our ideological stance in favour of inclusive India. The tendency to downplay some positions or avoid taking a stand on some issues in order not to alienate what we assume to be the sentiments of the majority only plays into the BJP’s hands,” Tharoor stressed.
“We must have the courage of our convictions. We could have been more vocal on the Bilkis Bano outrage, attacks on Christian churches, murder in the name of cow vigilantism, bulldozer demolition of Muslim homes and similar issues,” he added.
He said that if the Congress refrains from speaking in such cases, it is only surrendering its core responsibility of standing up for India’s diversity and pluralism which should be central to the Congress core message.
Hailing the recently-concluded Bharat Jodo Yatra, Tharoor said it has revived the confidence of the party cadre.
The Congress leader also underscored that every effort must be made to strengthen the secular foundations of the country.
