Sapkal called upon Congress workers and constitutional-minded citizens to take the Tricolour to every household and every heart across Maharashtra and the country

“The Tricolour is an idea and a dream. Many have shed their blood for it, and even today we are prepared to make sacrifices to protect it,” Sapkal said, adding that while green symbolises prosperity and saffron stands for sacrifice and honour, attempts were being made to misuse these colours for divisive politics

The Republic Day celebrations were held in the presence of Seva Dal state president Vilas Autade, All-India Congress Committee General Secretary Prafulla Gudde Patil, Maharashtra Pradesh Congress Committee Vice-President Rajesh Sharma, state general secretaries Jojo Thomas, Zeeshan Ahmed, and Shruti Mhatre, along with office-bearers of the Congress Seva Dal

Congratulating party workers on Republic Day, Sapkal said the Congress had made a significant contribution to India’s freedom struggle and nation-building. “Struggle has been the Congress party’s guiding principle, and it must be preserved,” he said, alleging that divisive forces were today indulging in politics based on caste and religion

Taking a swipe at the BJP and AIMIM, Sapkal claimed the two parties were “two sides of the same coin”, alleging that their ideological links dated back to the pre-Independence period.