Will fight 'destructive forces' threatening democracy: Sonia

New Delhi: Hitting out at the Centre, Congress president Sonia Gandhi on Tuesday said that the party will fight "the destructive forces" threatening Indian democracy.

In a video message to the Congress members on the party's 137th foundation day, the Congress chief said that divisive ideologies "anchored in hate and prejudice", which had no role to play in India's freedom struggle, are now causing havoc on India's secular fabric.

"They are rewriting history to give themselves a role they do not deserve. They inflame passion, instil fear, and spread animosity and the finest traditions of our parliamentary democracy are being deliberately damaged," she said in the video message.

Calling electoral victories and defeats inevitable, the party president reiterated Congress' commitments towards the country's people. "Today, we rededicate ourselves to the ideals, values, and principles of our organisation that has been shaped, guided, and inspired by some of the greatest, noblest, and most selfless of Indians of the 20th century," she said.

Earlier, the tricolour flag of Indian National Congress (INC) fell off the flagpole when it was being unfurled by the Congress president to celebrate the party's 137th foundation day.

However, Gandhi along with party treasurer Pawan Bansal and AICC general secretary KC Venugopal held the party tricolour in their hand and displayed it briefly. Later on, a Congress worker climbed up the flagpole to string the party tricolour.

On the occasion, Rahul Gandhi, Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, Mallikarjun Kharge were among those present at the party headquarters.

In a tweet on the foundation day, Rahul Gandhi said, "We are Congress- the Party which laid the foundation of our democracy & we are proud of this legacy."