Bharat Bachao rally: The Congress is organising a mega rally in Delhi.
Congress's Priyanka Gandhi Vadra today launched a sharp attack on the BJP-led government at the centre, accusing it of not caring for the people and their sentiments. "I urge you all to stand united against this government. If we don't, then that time is not far when Babasaheb's Constitution will be destroyed by this government," she told the crowd at Delhi's Ramlila Maidan, where the party is holding the Bharat Bachao (Save India) rally.
"Today, after six years of BJP government, instead of employment, jobs are being lost. Traders face losses due to GST, farmers suffer.... Businesses are shutting down," she said.
Then in a parody of the BJP's "Modi hai toh mumkin hai" (With Modi, possibilities abound) slogan, she said, "BJP hai, toh crores of jobs being lost - Mumkin hai... BJP hai toh the suffering of millions of farmers - Mumkin hai. BJP hai toh humaare state-run companies ki bikri - Mumkin hai.
"We see 'Modi hai to mumkin hai' everywhere. Truth is, with rhe BJP, onion price rise 'mumkin hai'; with BJP, highest unemployment rate in 45 years 'mumkin hai'; with BJP, destruction of 4 crore jobs 'mumkin hai' "
The mega rally - in which the party's top leaders, including Sonia Gandhi, Manmohan Singh and Rahul Gandhi participated -- comes in the backdrop of the opposition's attack of the government on a range of issues, including the state of the economy, the amended Citizenship Act, farmers' distress and jobs.
Announcing the rally yesterday, Rahul Gandhi said the party would protest against what he termed "the dictatorship of the BJP government" and over the economy "that has been sent to the ICU".
"Today I will address the public meeting organised by the Congress party at Delhi's historic Ramlila Maidan to protest the dictatorship of the BJP government, economy that has been sent to the ICU and the murder of democracy," he tweeted in Hindi.
State units of the Congress, from Delhi, Uttar Pradesh, Punjab and Haryana, have sent workers so that at least a lakh people congregate at Ramlila Maidan in the party's show of strength.
Delhi Congress president Subhash Chopra has claimed that over 50,000 people from the city are taking part in the protest.
Large hoardings of Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi have been put up all around the Ramlila ground and across Delhi. Delhi Congress Subhash Chopra said the party has launched an aggressive campaign for the promotion of the rally and a 10-km radius of the rally venue has been decorated with tri-colour flags and banners.
The Congress's overseas units too are expected to join the "Bharat Bachao" rally through demonstrations around the world. "Our message to save India from divisiveness, arrogance and incompetence will be spread worldwide," the Overseas Congress said.