Congress president Sonia Gandhi on Friday accused the BJP of conspiring to keep Indians in perpetual fear and conflict to ensure the success of its political agenda, which she said was incompatible with the constitutional scheme.

She said that divisive politics posed the gravest challenge to the nation and exhorted party workers to combat it with all their might.

“It is not just the undermining of our long-cherished values embodied in the Constitution that are now at grave risk,” Sonia said in her opening remarks at the three-day Chintan Shivir that began on Friday.

“The fires of hatred and discord that are being ignited have taken a heavy toll on peoples’ lives. This is having serious social consequences.”

Sonia said the vast majority of Indians wanted to live in an atmosphere of peace, amity and harmony.

“The BJP, its cohorts and surrogates want to keep our people in a state of perpetual frenzy and conflict. They constantly provoke, instigate and inflame. We have to combat this growing virus of divisiveness that is being maliciously and mischievously spread,” she said.

“Now it has become abundantly and most painfully clear what Prime Minister (Narendra) Modi and his colleagues really mean by their frequently repeated slogan: maximum governance, minimum government. It means keeping the country in a state of permanent polarisation, compelling our people to live in a constant state of fear and insecurity.”

Sonia added: “It means viciously targeting, victimising and often brutalising minorities who are an integral part of our society and are equal citizens of our republic.

“It means threatening and intimidating political opponents, maligning their reputations, jailing them on flimsy pretexts, misusing investigative agencies against them. It means eroding the independence and professionalism of all institutions of democracy.

“It means the wholesale reinvention of history, the constant denigration of our leaders, especially Jawaharlal Nehru, and systematic moves to distort, deny and destroy their contributions, achievements and sacrifices. It means glorifying the killers of Mahatma Gandhi and their ideologues.

“It means turning a blind eye to continued atrocities across the country on weaker sections, especially Dalits, Adivasis and women. It means using fear to make the bureaucracy, to make corporate India, to make civil society and sections of the media fall in line. It means more empty slogans, diversionary tactics and utter silence on the part of an ever-so -eloquent Prime Minister when the healing touch is most needed.”

The subjects discussed by the political committee reflected the Congress leadership’s anguish at the BJP’s use of religion and nationalism to maintain its electoral dominance.

Mallikarjun Kharge, head of the political committee, listed the core concerns being discussed at the conclave: “Attack on Constitution and democracy, protecting diversity – religious and linguistic, rising polarisation, protecting autonomous bodies and institutions, national security and foreign affairs, Centre-state relations….”

“The Constitution has been blown to smithereens. Neither the (BJP) leaders nor the supporters have shown any respect for constitutional values. They are hell-bent on trampling on the constitutional guarantees,” Kharge said.

“Sermons on nationalism and patriotism are being given to the party (Congress) that led the freedom movement by the political forces who didn’t participate in the struggle against the British.

“Where was the RSS when Mahatma Gandhi gave the Quit India call? Where were they when Congress leaders were rotting in jail? Our leaders sacrificed their lives: Indira Gandhi, Rajiv Gandhi and Beant Singh died for the country. Our entire Chhattisgarh leadership was wiped out by Naxals. Who are these people to lecture us on nationalism?”

Stalwarts of the freedom movement dominate the posters, banners and hoardings at the venue – a change from the usual focus on Sonia and Rahul Gandhi – in acknowledgement of the BJP’s knack for hijacking national icons.

Banners carrying photographs and quotes of Mahatma Gandhi, Bhagat Singh, Subhas Chandra Bose, Bal Gangadhar Tilak, Gopal Krishna Gokhale, B.R. Ambedkar, Abul Kalam Azad and Lal Bahadur Shastri, among others, surround the Taj Aravali resort where the session is going on.

Most of the quotes highlight constitutional principles, stressing that national identity is above caste, religion or region.

“This is a fight between Indian nationalists (and) pseudo-nationalists. It is the Congress that adheres to the Indian path of rejecting all extremes,” Kharge stressed at a news conference.

“We will retrieve our rich legacy and heritage to inspire the youth. We have to reaffirm our commitment to the Constitution… (for the sake of) liberty of thought, expression, belief, faith and worship, the federal structure, the poorest and the most oppressed in society.”