Will Rothney Castle be witness to revival of Cong?

Shimla: The Rothney Castle in Shimla, which is now known as “Sheeshe Wali Kothi”, is the place where the foundation of the Congress Party was laid. AO Hume founded the Congress on 28 December 1885. The Rothney Castle, built in the 19th century, used to be the home of AO Hume where he spent many years and the process of birth of Congress also started from here. Coincidentally, Congress leader Sonia Gandhi’s new house is also built near this Rothney Castle. Hume was an ICS officer and he was transferred to Shimla from Etawah. He formed the Congress with an aim of raising the voice of poor in the country. After Independence, the existence of Congress remained but Mahatma Gandhi wanted to close the Congress so that a new party could take shape. But other leaders took a stand to continue the party as Congress only.

Hume was helped by a Bengali WC Banerjee in formation of Congress. The party that was formed in the Rothney Castle is now passing through struggling times. The BJP has given slogan of Congress mukt Bharat and if this is realised, the historical value of the Rothney Castle will also be lost. Sonia Gandhi had once wanted to buy the Rothney Castle, which is now in private hands, and develop it as a memorial of national importance but the deal could not materialise due to certain reasons. If the Congress government is formed in Himachal, this building may regain the focus and it would be seen whether Congress may gain much needed revival from Shimla.