Date:18/11/2007 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2007/11/18/stories/2007111860321100.htm

National

Link progress to merit in Congress: Rahul

Special Correspondent

NEW DELHI: Scion of the Nehru-Gandhi family and All India Congress Committee (AICC) general secretary Rahul Gandhi on Saturday made out a case for turning the Congress into a meritocratic organisation where progress is linked to performance.

In what was later described by External Affairs Minister Pranab Mukherjee as a “brief and focused intervention” during the AICC session here, Mr. Gandhi unveiled his “vision of India” and said the Indian Youth Congress (IYC) and the National Students Union of India (NSUI) “can and should” become the vehicles for young Indians who want to serve the country.

If the Congress is to become an organisation that represents the youth of the country and develop leaders the nation can be proud of, he said, the party needs to “build an organisation that is open and relevant to the broad range of young Indians who believe in our values and seek to serve the nation.”

Also, there is a need to build a meritocratic organisation. “Young people bring tremendous passion and energy into our organisation…. It is our duty to ensure that their progress is linked to their performance.”

Asserting that the only identity of Indians as far as he was concerned is their nationality — and not their religion or caste — he said if there was anything that divided India it was opportunity. Of the view that it was access to opportunity which determined the fate of an individual and thereby divided the country into haves and have-nots, the newly appointed general secretary said pro-poor policies should not be seen as charity.

Aspiring millions

“The true realisation of India’s power lies in igniting the fire of ambition of our aspiring millions,” Mr. Gandhi said as he switched to English from Hindi for the benefit of the delegates from South India. His much awaited address was timed mid-session amid repeated demands from the delegates. And, he was the only leader on stage — apart from Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and Congress president Sonia Gandhi — to be greeted with a giant tri-coloured garland.

Though Ms. Gandhi made no mention of Mr. Gandhi in her opening address, she did state in her closing remarks that “neither I nor Rahul wield a magic wand.” Mr. Gandhi did find mention in the Prime Minister’s speech. “I am confident that the young leaders of the Congress party like Shri Rahul Gandhi can win the minds and affections of our youth and take the Congress party and the nation to new frontiers and new heights of glory.”