New Delhi: Sounding the bugle for 2019 general elections, the Congress has decided to up the ante against the BJP and reach out to people through a “national rally” at
Delhi’s Ramlila Ground on April 29. The Congress leadership will target the Modi government on issues ranging from economic slowdown, unemployment, anti-dalit measures and corruption, which include the recent bank frauds.
The Congress’ entire top leadership — party chief Rahul Gandhi, Sonia Gandhi and former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh — will attend the rally, which aims at putting the BJP on the defensive by raising issues such as the state of the economy, inflation, hike in prices of petrol and diesel, the agrarian crisis, and several scan accused fleeing the country.
Congress general secretary Ashok Gehlot said on Saturday that after four years of the NDA rule in the country, “People of every section of society are feeling suffocated” and there is an environment of fear, distrust and intolerance everywhere.
Mr Gehlot said their party president Rahul Gandhi has always believed that in a democracy politics requires a lot of love, peace and compassion, whereas the Modi government is “weakening” the democratic culture of the country.
“After the NDA came to power, only false promises were made and, in the last four years, nobody felt that ache din aa gaye hain,” said Mr Gehlot.
In view of the situation, the Congress has decided to organise a rally on April 29, he told reporters.
“In four years, no community has felt that good days have arrived. Every community is in pain and fear. Businesses have been affected, economic situation is in the doldrums,” he said, adding that institutions like the judiciary, Parliament, the RBI, ED, CBI, income-tax are being weakened and misused. “Even Election Commission is not spared,” he said.
Congress general secretaries and all those in charge of states held a meeting on Saturday before finalising the date of the rally.
Apart from addressing the “atmosphere of hatred” prevailing in the country, at the proposed rally the Congress will also highlight the BJP’s unfulfilled promises and attack the Modi government over recent bank scams and unemployment.
