Rahul Gandhi To Hold Rallies Across Country, Starting With Jaipur On January 28

Congress leader Rahul Gandhi will hold public rallies and meetings across the country starting with Jaipur on January 28 to highlight the country's "economic problems" including rising unemployment.

Congress leaders in New Delhi said Mr Gandhi's address in Jaipur will focus on the youths and students who are facing problems because of lack of jobs and rising unemployment due to the prevailing economic situation in the country.

The public rally comes ahead of the Union budget scheduled to be presented on February 1.

Mr Gandhi also intends to address a rally in Madhya Pradesh, where he will focus on issues confronting the farmers, tribals and rural workers. Further, he is likely to address a meeting of small and medium industrialists, traders and professionals at Mumbai, the party leaders said.

They said the schedule of these and other rallies are being worked out.

"On January 28, Congress leader and former party president Rahul Gandhi will be on a visit to Jaipur to address a rally. This rally will give a message in the country. The rally will attract attention of the Centre on the burning issues of the country," Rajasthan deputy chief minister Sachin Pilot told reporters in Jaipur.

Mr Pilot, who became the longest-serving Rajasthan Pradesh Congress Committee president on Tuesday after completing six years on the post, also visited the Vidyadhar Nagar Stadium in Jaipur to review the preparation for the rally.

He alleged the Modi government was not taking any concrete step on the issues of public interest and the economy, but was busy "diverting" public attention by bringing laws which are unnecessary.

"For the first time, protests are happening in different parts of the country against a law passed by the Parliament. State assemblies are passing resolution. And the young people in particular are hurt, suffering, frustrated," he said without mentioning the amended citizenship law.

Responding to a question on implementing the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) by the state government, he said, "The central government has passed a bill based on majority in the Parliament and made it a law. It has become the law of this country. But even after a law is made, everyone has the freedom to express their views on it. Some people are in support and some are against."

He further said, "We believe that the law has been passed in Parliament on the basis of majority, but whether it will meet the legal standards will be decided by the Supreme Court."

Mr Pilot said that many state governments have gone to the Supreme Court and any legislative assembly is free to pass a resolution and to vote on it as law can be amended or reconsidered.

He said the Congress party believes that the CAA is against the basic spirit of the Constitution.

On a question about a coordination committee formed by the Congress high command for better synergy between the Congress governments in states and the party, he said, "The AICC has taken a thoughtful step so that the organisation and the government work together and if there is any situation of communication gap that is resolved."

He said that it has almost been a year since the Congress government was formed in the state and the entire machinery is working vigorously to fulfill the promises made in the election manifesto.