Karad, May 10 (PTI) The DNA of the Congress and that of the nation is the same, and the party can never be finished, its Maharashtra unit chief Harshwardhan Sapkal said on Saturday.

“Those who speak of the end of the Congress party are unaware of the nation’s glorious history,” he said after paying tribute to the state’s first chief minister Yashwantrao Chavan.

“The DNA of the Congress Party and the country is one. Congress’ ideology and policies are rooted in India’s culture, traditions, and way of life. The Congress has a glorious history. It gave India its independence, established democracy, and brought prosperity to the nation,” he said.

A party with such a legacy can never be finished, said Sapkal while talking to reporters in Karad.

He said those who believe Congress will cease to exist neither honour the freedom fighters who secured independence for the nation nor understand their sacrifices.

“Even after independence, two Congress prime ministers laid down their lives for the country, something the critics seem to forget. They also forget the extremist who assassinated Mahatma Gandhi,” he said.

He also wondered if making such statements amounts to sedition.

The state Congress chief said the country is facing a crisis, akin to a wartime situation. He said India has fought valiantly under dire circumstances and emerged victorious.

“We must now stand with the Indian Army with the same resolve,” he said.

Sapkal said ex-CM Yashwantrao Chavan brought honour to Maharashtra and recalled his values and conduct. Chavan set an example for how politicians should speak and behave in public life, he said.

As the Congress state president, Sapkal said he was reminded of Maharashtra’s ethos of dignified, cultured politics and the direction it should follow. PTI MR NR