Democracy

"In the democracy which I have envisaged, a democracy established by non-violence, there will be equal freedom for all. Everybody will be his own master. It is to join a struggle for such democracy that I invite you today."--- Mahatma Gandhi during his Quit India speech, August 8, 1942.

"Democracy is good. I say this because other systems are worse. So we are forced to accept democracy. It has good points and also bad. But merely saying that democracy will solve all problems is utterly wrong. Problems are solved by intelligence and hard work." --- Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru.

“Democracy is not merely a form of Government. It is primarily a mode of associated living, of conjoint communicated experience.

Democracy is essentially an attitude of respect and reverence towards our fellow men” --- Babasaheb Dr BR Ambedkar "Democracy is a faith in the spiritual possibilities of not a privileged few but of every human being." --- Dr Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan

"Today countries where democracy was born are all much wealthier than India, and skeptics might say that it is too soon for India to talk about social democracy. That misses the point. In country after country, where social democracy took root, it was once for them a dream for their tomorrow. It was built, brick by brick, over many generations, energized by economic growth. In turn, it stimulated and sustained economic growth – by opening up opportunities for human development, by building social cohesion and solidarity, and by providing the framework of an intellectual and political consensus. In those countries, social democracy not only proved to be good politics, it also turned out to be good economics. It brought the state, business and labour onto a common platform in pursuit of a shared vision – the vision of a more equal, more caring society." --- Smt Sonia Gandhi during her address at the 10th Indira Gandhi Conference, 2010.

Secularism

"I came to the conclusion long ago … that all religions were true and also that all had some error in them, and whilst I hold by my own, I should hold others as dear as Hinduism … our innermost prayer should be a Hindu should be a better Hindu, a Muslim a better Muslim, a Christian a better Christian." ---Mahatma Gandhi (Young India: January 19, 1928)

"We talk about a secular state in India. It is perhaps not very easy even to find a good word in Hindi for ‘secular’. Some people think it means something opposed to religion. That obviously is not correct. What it means is that it is the state which honours all faiths equally and gives them equal opportunities; that, as a state, it does not allow itself to be attached to one faith or religion, which then becomes the state religion.” --- Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru (foreward to Dharma Nirapeksh Raj by Raghunath Singh) "Secularism and democracy are the twin pillars of our State the very foundations of our society. From time immemorial, the vast majority of our people are wedded to concepts of secularism, religious tolerance, peace and humanity." --- Smt. Indira Gandhi's Address in Parliament on December 22, 1967

"Secularism is the bedrock of our nationhood, secularism as defined not in the English dictionaries, where it is defined as ‘non-religious’ or ‘anti-religious’, but secularism the way Panditji defined it as Sarva Dharma Samabhava which allows every religion to flourish in our country. Every community, every caste, every linguistic group must be allowed freedom to flourish, prosper and develop, yet they must be woven into one India, to a unified India.

India is not just a mere geographic expression or a political entity. India dates back to thousands of years; the boundaries have changed, the politics have changed but still India has remained India. It is the thinking, it is the thought, it is an inner spirituality that makes India." --- Shri Rajiv Gandhi's speech 'Uphold Secular Values' at the National Symposium on India' Struggle Against Communalism on October 9, 1986.

Nationalism

“The field of battle lies before you, the flag of India beckons to you, and freedom herself awaits your coming... Who lives if India dies? Who dies if India lives?" --- Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru urging people to join Mahatma Gandhi's Dandi March on March 12, 1931

"Let us always remember that we are all children of our mother country. Indeed, I have never worked in any other spirit than that I am an Indian, and owe duty to my country and all my countrymen. Whether I am a Hindu, a Mohammedan, a Parsi, a Christian, or any other creed, I am above all an Indian. Our country is India; our nationality is Indian."--- Shri Dadabhai Naoroji during his Presidential Address at the Congress Session, 1893, Lahore

"There is something unique in this soil, which despite many obstacles has always remained the abode of great souls." --- Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel

"In this vast country of ours, people profess different religions, speak different languages, dress differently and observe different customs; but we are one nation; the history of our struggle for independence and our faith in our future development are our common bonds." --- Shri Lal Bahadur Shastri

"India is an old country, but a young nation, we are impatient. I am impatient and I too have a dream of an India— strong, independent, self-reliant...” --- Shri Rajiv Gandhi during his address to the US Congress, 1985.

Social Justice

To say that a single human being, because of his birth, becomes an untouchable, unapproachable, or invisible, is to deny God.” --- Mahatma Gandhi

“So long as you do not achieve social liberty, whatever freedom is provided by the law is of no avail to you.”--- Babasaheb Dr B.R Ambedkar

“To be liberated, woman must feel free to be herself, not in rivalry to man but in the context of her own capacity and her personality.”--- Smt Indira Gandhi, ‘True Liberation of Women’, at the inauguration of the All-India Women's Conference Building Complex in New Delhi, India (March 26, 1980) "We want everyone to march ahead together towards a new India. No one should be left behind or sidelined on account of caste, creed, religion or region and we are carrying forward the vision of Jawaharlal Nehru, Indira Gandhi and Rajiv Gandhi of making India a modern nation based on social justice."--- Smt Sonia Gandhi, Thiruvananthapuram, 30 September 2013

"Is there anything more important than development? Yes there is: Izzat (dignity). There can be no development without dignity...What does government mean?

It means ensuring the dignity of every citizen: everyone, women, young, old, Dalits, Adivasis."--- Shri Rahul Gandhi during his speech in Gwalior, October 17, 2013.

Inclusive Growth

"I will give you a talisman. Whenever you are in doubt, or when the self becomes too much with you, apply the following test. Recall the face of the poorest and the weakest man woman whom you may have seen, and ask yourself, if the step you contemplate is going to be of any use to him her. Will he she gain anything by it? Will it restore him her to a control over his her own life and destiny? In other words, will it lead to swaraj for the hungry and spiritually starving millions? Then you will find your doubts and yourself melt away." --- Mahatma Gandhi

"We have achieved political freedom but our revolution is not yet complete and is still in progress, for political freedom without the assurance of the right to live and to pursue happiness, which economic progress alone can bring, can never satisfy a people. Therefore, our immediate task is to raise the living standards of our people, to remove all that comes in the way of the economic growth of the nation. We have tackled the major problem of India, as it is today the major problem of Asia, the agrarian problem. Much that was feudal in our system of land tenure is being changed so that the fruits of cultivation should go to the tiller of the soil and that he may be secure in the possession of the land he cultivates. In a country of which agriculture is still the principal industry, this reform is essential not only for the well-being and contentment of the individual but also for the stability of society."--- Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru during his address to the US Congress October 13, 1949.

"The economic issues are most vital for us and it is of the highest importance that we should fight our biggest enemies – Poverty, unemployment. Whether it is agriculture or industrial development, or for that matter, development in other fields, the basic fact remains – that it would serve the largest number of our people”--- Shri Lal Bahadur Shastri. ."Development is not about factories, dams and roads. Development is about people. The goal is material, cultural and spiritual fulfilment for the people. The human factor is of supreme value in development." --- Shri Rajiv Gandhi ."We want more youth, women, Adivasis in Parliament and Assemblies. We want more youth to join politics to cleanse the system. We cannot achieve development without empowering the youth. Our country will surge ahead fast only if we have more youth and women as lawmakers."--- Shri Rahul Gandhi during his speech in Gwalior, October 17, 2013

Object of the Indian National Congress

Article I - Inc Constitution:

“The object of the Indian National Congress is the well-being and advancement of the people of India and the establishment in India, by peaceful and constitutional means, of a Socialist State based on Parliamentary Democracy in which there is equality of opportunity and of political, economic and social rights and which aims at world peace and fellowship.”

Allegiance to Constitution of India

Article II - Inc Constitution:

The Indian National Congress bears true faith and allegiance to the Constitution of India as by law established and to the principles of socialism, secularism and democracy and would uphold the sovereignty, unity and integrity of India.