Student elections in colleges from this very year Protect everyone’s right to vote

Share

Share

Share

Share

Email

Share

Bengaluru : Chief Minister D K Shivakumar today said that five-member guarantee committees will be formed at every panchayat and ward level in the days to come.

Speaking at the Sankalpa convention organised at Palace Grounds to hand over the baton of KPCC presidency to B K Hariprasad, the CM said, “These committee members must re-verify the records of guarantee beneficiaries.”

“Over the past six years, many office-bearers of the party have worked alongside me, and all the legislators and leaders have given me strength by dedicating their time and effort. We have not been able to give positions of power to many people. We created a committee for the guarantee schemes and gave thousands of workers a role of authority. I and our senior leaders have discussed forming committees at the panchayat and ward level. Appointments to this committee will be made equally across all sections of society,” he said.

“With five people in each ward and panchayat, guarantee committees will be formed in 7,000 panchayats and 4,000 wards. Just think for yourselves how many leaders we are creating through this. The Congress party is committed to the principle that a leader must nurture other leaders, not followers,” he said.

Even as Chief Minister, I will work like a party worker

“The entire government and party will stand with Hariprasad. Even though I am the Chief Minister, I will work alongside you as a party worker. We have all resolved to bring Congress back to power in 2028 and to make Rahul Gandhi the Prime Minister of the country in 2029.”

Student elections from this very year
“In the coming days, following Rahul Gandhi’s guidance, a decision will be taken in the Cabinet to hold student elections in colleges. Through this, we will produce leaders from the panchayats all the way up to Parliament. Student elections will be held from this very year. Furthermore, reservation for women will not be skipped. Therefore, the student wing and women’s wing must build up greater organization,” he noted.

Serving party workers and organizing the party with all my might

“Sonia Gandhi and the Congress leadership gave me the responsibility of the KPCC president’s post on March 10, 2020. I have served the party workers and organized the party with all my might. I may have made many mistakes. I have worked as a worker among farmers, labourers, and the youth. Today, I have handed over power to the senior leader B.K. Hariprasad. The strength of Congress is the strength of the nation; the history of Congress is the history of the nation; when Congress comes to power, it is as though all sections of society have come to power. When we were in Opposition, Siddaramaiah and I together carried all of you along, and worked to protect the unity, integrity, and peace of the country,” he said.

Looking back on the six-year journey as KPCC president
“When I took on this responsibility, the COVID crisis had set in. I, our working presidents, legislators, and the presidents of all party units came together to face the situation. We distributed lakhs of food kits to people in distress. Responding to the farmers’ hardship, we purchased their produce and distributed it free to the poor. Through this, we instilled confidence in the people. When the BJP government moved to fleece migrant labourers by tripling bus fares, we came forward to give the government Rs 1 crore and demanded that free bus arrangements be provided for the workers. Later, our people lost their lives in the Chamarajanagar oxygen tragedy. When Siddaramaiah and I went and inspected the situation, we understood the ground reality there. We fought over this in the Legislative Assembly. We made a promise to give a government job to the families of the victims. We kept our word by giving those families government jobs,” he recalled.

“The people of the entire state supported us at every step. When the central and state BJP governments brought in the draconian agriculture laws, we fought against them. Against the fuel price hike, we held a ‘100 not-out’ protest, a bullock-cart procession, a tonga march, and a cycle march. We fought against the corruption of the BJP government and forced two ministers to resign. We took to the streets and fought against Eshwarappa for insulting the national flag, against various scams including the PSI scam, and against the harassment and conspiracy by the BJP and investigative agencies targeting Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi,” he said.

“All of you wrote history in this country by enrolling 75 lakh members. For the farmers, we fought for the Krishna and Mahadayi projects and undertook a padayatra for the implementation of the Mekedatu project. In the coming days, I will discuss what stage these projects have reached. With the aim of giving everyone an equal share and equal life, we held a Unity Convention in Chitradurga demanding internal reservation. We fought against unemployment. We carried out hundreds of such struggles. We began our election campaign through the Praja Dhwani Yatra. At the Gandhi well in Belagavi, we drew out water, cleared the rubbish, and announced our first guarantee, the Gruha Jyothi scheme. The Gruha Lakshmi scheme was announced at the ‘Naa Naayaki’ programme. After coming to power, we implemented all the guarantee schemes. The Gruha Lakshmi scheme has reached the women heads of 1.21 crore poor families. This is the message our programme has sent to the nation,” he said.

Came to power with 136 seats through the strength of all of you
“They call me bande (boulder). I had called on people to make me a stepping stone to reach the Vidhana Soudha. These struggles are not mine or Siddaramaiah’s alone. Through the strength of all of you — the leaders on this stage and the workers — the party has today won 136 seats in the state and come to power. When I was president, I held dialogues with the fishermen, weavers, Lambanis, Tigalas, Madivalas, Ganigas, and Uppara communities and listened to their problems. I listened to the problems of people of all sections, including farmers, labourers, drivers, and street vendors,” he recalled.

“Rahul Gandhi undertook the Bharat Jodo Yatra from Kanyakumari to Kashmir to unite India. This padayatra travelled through our state for 23 days. Congress legislators were elected in all the constituencies where Rahul Gandhi set foot. Around the same time, our party’s Mallikarjuna Kharge was elected AICC president. From a block president, he took the seat once adorned by Mahatma Gandhi. All of this is history. I was KPCC president during all these occasions. I am leaving behind this mountain of evidence from my tenure. This achievement is not mine alone. It became possible through the cooperation and hard work of all of you,” he said.

“After our party came to power, we held the Gandhi Bharata programme to mark the centenary of Mahatma Gandhi’s Belagavi session. We held the historic programme for Siddaramaiah’s 75th birthday and, amid the celebration of the country’s 75th Independence anniversary, we held the Freedom Walk programme. About 4 lakh people took part in this yatra. We held the ‘Jai Bapu, Jai Bhim, Jai Samvidhana’ programme. As part of the resolve to protect the Constitution, I took the oath as Chief Minister holding a copy of the Constitution. B.K. Hariprasad has given me the book of the Constitution,” he said.

Handing the presidency to a senior leader brings satisfaction
“Hariprasad and I both grew up as student leaders in the same college. He contested elections 2-3 years ahead of me. He contested in 1983, while I contested in 1985. Handing over this president’s post to a loyal party worker and a senior leader who has organized the party across the nation brings me the greatest satisfaction,” he said.

The guarantee schemes will not be stopped
“The transfer of power has been carried out as per the discussion held in the presence of Sonia Gandhi and Mallikarjuna Kharge. I do not believe in factionalism or in doing politics on the basis of caste or religion. Ours is Congress caste; the Congress flag is my religion. You, together with all our national leaders, have given me the responsibility of leading this state. We have given five guarantees, and no one can stop them. Along with these five guarantees, we have given a sixth — the land guarantee. Work is being done to correct people’s property records. We have established revenue villages and distributed title deeds free of cost,” he said.

“On the very first day I assumed office, six decisions were taken. It was decided to provide free bus travel for all students in the state, and to create a job-exchange system in the private sector through the Yuva Udyoga Setu programme. We decided to establish 10,000 Bharat Jodo Youth Associations and to provide an annual grant of Rs 10 lakh. Rs 1,000 crore has been earmarked for this. This is the strength of the nation’s unity. We have provided a solution to the OC/CC problem and granted an exemption to all residential buildings up to 31.05.2026. Through the land guarantee, the conversion from B-Khata to A-Khata is being extended across the state. We have decided to provide a ₹2,000 crore grant for the asphalting of ward-level roads in Bengaluru. To hear the grievances and problems of the public, the Congress government has decided in cabinet to start a dedicated Praja Seve Secretariat,” he said.

Protect everyone’s right to vote
“The Central government is now dealing us a shock. Through the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of the electoral rolls, they have removed 64 lakh votes in Tamil Nadu and 91 lakh votes in West Bengal. The SIR that will take place in our state is both a danger and an opportunity for us. Therefore, you must protect your right to vote. SIR means creating the electoral roll afresh. It is not a mapping process. Only if every single person — from myself, Siddaramaiah, and Mallikarjuna Kharge onwards — fills in the forms given by the BLO and submits them along with documents will the right to vote be retained. Otherwise, the right to vote will not survive,” he urged.

“We must save the poor and protect their right to vote. Instructions have already been given to provide people with the documents they need. Our working president G.C. Chandrashekar is providing ample guidance on this process. District in-charge ministers and legislators must create awareness among the people. Those who do not have a vote will not get the opportunities, guarantees, or pension. The BJP government has stopped the benefits of these schemes for those without voting rights in other states. Therefore, we must protect everyone’s right to vote. Siddaramaiah’s administration, guidance, and strength are a model for the country. We have all worked in unity,” he said.

“We all need your strength and blessings. I cannot do everything alone. I have instructed all district ministers to hold a ‘Jana Spandana’ programme one day a week in one taluk of their districts and to provide solutions to people’s problems. If you are strong, we become powerful. The Congress office is our temple. After discussing with Siddaramaiah and in the cabinet, we have secured the necessary land approvals to build Congress offices in the name of ‘Gandhi Bharata’ at a hundred places across the state. Here, neither we nor you are permanent. The Congress temple will remain forever. Render whatever service you can,” he urged.

Those who shouted slogans in his favour taken to task
During the programme, Shivakumar took to task those who shouted slogans in his favour. Discipline is important in the party. There should be no worship of individuals. Worship the party instead, he instructed.