Individuals are Spreading Bigotry for Political Gain: Sonia Gandhi

Congress president Sonia Gandhi today warned against forces which were trying to "re-write history" and denying India's glorious composite heritage.

Gandhi was inaugurating the 83rd annual pilgrimage at Sivagiri mutt, the headquarters of Sree Narayana Dharma Sangham, an organisation of Guru's disciples and sanyasins.

Underlining the guru's secular credentials, the Congress president said he had imbibed the features of all faiths and the essence of all religions. "We must work hard to ensure that we fully eliminate caste discrimination in our country", said Gandhi in her address. She said individuals were spreading "prejudice and bigotry" for political gain.

"Sadly caste discrimination still exists and we still have much work to do in the area. Tagore was also a great admirer of Sree Narayana Guru; Nehru, Indira Gandhi were impressed by his personality", she added.

Congress president Sonia Gandhi, in an emotionally charged speech on Wednesday, hit back at her late husband Rajiv Gandhi's detractors who criticised him for leaning heavily on the development of information technology and telecommunication when he was the prime minister.

The Sivagiri Mutt is a major spiritual-cum-pilgrim centre of the Ezhava community in Kerala.

She said under the Guru's guidance, SNDP had promoted education, cultural and social activities "to uplift the disadvantaged and underprivileged communities and gave them dignity, pride and self respect". "Guru called upon people to start industries, establish educational institutions and earn money to bring about social equality and financial stability in society, lifting all to a higher level", he said.

The leaders also urged Sonia Gandhi to resolve various issues plaguing the party.

Over the years, factionalism has bothered the Congress party in the state, and for one whole decade the feud between the majority faction led by Chief Minister Oommen Chandy and state Home Minister Ramesh Chennithala has at times caused embarrassment to the coalition.

Gandhi shared the stage with CPI General Secretary Sudhakar Reddy and Chandy, among others.

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