soniais tribute

the members of the Congress Working Committee met in New Delhi on 13th March 2008 on the eve of completion of 10 years of Smt. Sonia Gandhi’s Presidentship of the Indian National Congress. We are privileged to place on record our deep gratitude for the leadership provided by her to the Party. This is a historic milestone in the 122 years’ history of Congress - India’s oldest and pre-eminent political movement - the inheritor of rich legacy of struggle and sacrifice for the freedom and the instrument for guiding the reconstruction of independent India.

Ten years ago, Smt. Sonia Gandhi, had responded to the collective request of the leadership and workers of the Party to step in and guide the organization at a time when the Congress was going through a turbulent phase and was confronted with daunting challenges. As the President of the AICC, she worked tirelessly, traveling the length and breadth of the country to lead the process of Party’s revival. Her efforts arrested the drift and despondency which had gripped the organization in the preceding years.

As Congress President, Smt. Sonia Gandhi galvanized the rank and file of the Party which led to its successful campaign in the 2004 General Elections proving the skeptics wrong and ensuring the formation of Congress-led UPA Government. She has strengthened the organization through her expressed belief in free and democratic exchange of views and consensus-building on important policy initiatives. She is recognized for her selfless commitment to the spirit of service to the country and its people. Her personal example of refusal to accept power and instead to work for organization has rekindled the time-cherished values of the Congress.

Smt. Sonia Gandhi has upheld the rich traditions of the illustrious Nehru-Gandhi family and strongly identified herself with the core values espoused by the Indian National Congress for the cause of the underprivileged and the marginalized. The commendable initiatives of the UPA Government for bringing Rural Employment Guarantee Programme and the revolutionary package to farmers, including the writing off Rs.60,000 crores of farmers debt, were influenced by the Congress President’s solidarity with the Indian farmer and unemployed rural youth. Her prompt response to natural calamities and reaching out to the victims of violence and terrorism, has underscored her empathy for the suffering of the people.

The Congress President inspired the Indian National Congress to take the historic initiative to commemorate the centenary of the Satyagraha launched by Mahatma Gandhi from South Africa on 9/11 in 1906. The Declaration adopted at the global conference convened in New Delhi urged the United Nations to declare 2nd October, the date of birth of Mahatma Gandhi, as International Day of Non-violence. This led to India’s Resolution at the UN, which was unanimously adopted. It was, therefore, a matter of pride and satisfaction for the people of India to achieve this during the 60th year of India’s independence. She addressed a Special Session of the UN General Assembly to mark its first observance and reaffirmed humanity’s abiding commitment to the principle of non-violence and Gandhian philosophy.

This meeting acknowledges with appreciation and gratitude the dynamic and courageous leadership of Smt. Sonia Gandhi as President of the Indian National Congress and her immense contribution in revitalizing the Party, in inspiring the Congressmen and women to collectively work for nation-building and empowerment of the weak and poor.

We are proud of her humane qualities and leadership.