india

Updated: Jun 15, 2020 16:32 IST

New Delhi: Congress president Sonia Gandhi on Thursday called upon the nation to rise and stand against every act of injustice, intolerance and discrimination to truly cherish freedom.

In her Independence Day message, Sonia Gandhi, 72, said India has surged ahead exponentially in all arenas but at its core are the founding principles of “truth, non–violence, compassion and unwavering patriotism”.

A democratic and resilient India at 73 has no place for bigotry, superstition, sectarianism, fanaticism, racialism, intolerance or injustice, yet millions of fellow citizens encounter discrimination every day, she said.

Sonia Gandhi took over as the interim Congress president on Saturday after her son Rahul Gandhi rejected repeated pleas by colleagues to reconsider his decision to resign as the party chief.

Rahul Gandhi had decided to step down following the party’s dismal performance in the recent national elections in which the Congress managed to get just 52 Lok Sabha seats.

“We must rise as a nation to stand against every act of injustice, intolerance and discrimination to truly cherish our freedom,” she said.

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Reminding the nation that the Independence was a result of immeasurable sacrifices of those who made India what it is today, Sonia Gandhi called upon every citizen to observe the solemn duty of protecting and preserving the values of freedom, brotherhood, peace and equality.

Earlier, Sonia Gandhi hoisted the national flag at the Congress headquarters in Delhi. All senior leaders were present on the occasion.

“We must not forget the supreme sacrifice of our armed forces in protecting the integrity of India,” she said while paying tribute to farmers, labourers, artisans, scientists, tradesmen, teachers, artists, writers and thinkers.

Wishing India’s youth in particular, the Congress president said the baton of nation building as also building a modern, equal, just and egalitarian society founded upon scientific temper was in their hands.

She appealed to all to reinvigorate the principles of compassion, coexistence and inclusive development as the indelible features of the Indian polity, society and economy.