PM, Sonia kick-start Cong's 125th year celebrations

Describing the Congress as a "national revolution", which led the country to Independence from imperialist rule, its president Sonia Gandhi on Monday said the party always stood for secular values.

Addressing partymen on the occasion of the Indian National Congress entering its 125th year, she said, "The party has always promoted secularism through a consensual approach and has stood for protection of rights of the poor."

The party has also played a major role in laying the foundation of modern India, she said. Sonia was speaking at a function where she and Prime Minister Manmohan Singh laid the foundation of the Indira Gandhi Bhavan, which will be the new headquarters of the AICC, at Kotla Road. Since the Congress split in 1978, AICC headquarters was at 24 Akbar Road.

The prime minister said on the occasion that the focus of his government was on the welfare of the poor and protection of human rights.

"Economic stability has also been the focus area of the party and it is our endeavour to fulfil the dreams of Rajiv Gandhi in the 21st century," he said.

The Congress has drawn up elaborate programmes for the year-old celebrations and its units at the block, district and state levels have been asked to hold special functions to galvanise the cadre and rekindle the spirit of the Congress.

The achievements of the party in social, economic and cultural fields and at the international level since independence and its vision for the future will be projected through various media across the country.