As the oldest political party in India, the Indian National Congress grapples with the predilection of selecting the next president of the party, on Wednesday (July 8), it appointed several Presidents and office-bearers for the party’s “international wing” – the Indian Overseas Congress.
In a press release, the Congress party said that it was glad to appoint President for a two-year period in several countries in the European region while the party has failed to appoint a President for national leadership.
The aim of the newly appointed Presidents of the Indian Overseas Congress is to help build and expand the grand old party and its ideology in the respective countries said the statement.
“In this capacity, you are expected to identify and work with qualified, capable, committed, and concerned people to lead the various initiatives of the IOC,” the Congress party said.
Nine Congress party members have been appointed as Presidents of Indian Overseas Congress units in their respective countries.
The names are:
- Dilbag Channa – Italy
- Joy Kochattu – Switzerland
- Dr Sonia Heldst – Sweden
- Sunil Korah – Austria
- Suldleevan Preet Singh – Belgium
- Harpinder Singh Ging- Holland
- Amarjit Singh (Amba) – Poland
- Dr Komal Kumar Javarappa – Finland
- Garisober Singh – Norway
In addition, the Congress party also appointed several office-bearers and Core committee members of the Indian Overseas Congress in Europe.
According to their website, the Indian Overseas Congress claims to be a group of “concerned, committed, diverse, capable and courageous Overseas Indians and friends of India”.
Sam Pitroda, a veteran Congress leader and a close aide of the Gandhi family, is the Chairman of the Indian Overseas Congress.
However, the Indian Overseas Congress has been wrought with several controversies with a history of joining hands with countries that interfere in India’s domestic politics and detrimental to India’s national interests.
In December 2020, one of the senior members of the Indian Overseas Congress had unfurled a Pakistani flag at a protest against the Indian government over passing farm laws in Germany.
Also, in 2019, the Congress party opened its overseas office in Turkey just a few days after Turkey had extended its support to Pakistan at the UN on the Kashmir issue.
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