The Congress party is escalating its protests nationwide in response to the recent disruption of the monsoon session of Parliament. This disruption was triggered by police action against students protesting a paper leak incident. During a working committee meeting today, Congress leaders outlined a comprehensive strategy addressing various issues, including alleged donation theft at the Ayodhya temple and concerns over Chinese activities along the India-China border, as well as the process of delimitation.
The Congress also announced a nationwide campaign against the donation theft at the Ayodhya Ram temple – an issue it had flagged in parliament, stalling proceedings during the monsoon session. Congress chief Mallikarjun Kharge and Rahul Gandhi have asked the four Congress-ruled states to prepare concrete plans for improving their education and examination systems within one month, Venugopal added. It has also sought a complete audit of the accounts and assets of the Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra Trust.
At a press conference after the meeting, the Congress said its ‘Chhatron Ki Goonj’ campaign against paper leaks – which started in June — will now be taken across nearly 800 cities.
Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi will spearhead the campaign and take part in several of these programmes, sources said. Party general secretary, organisation, KC Venugopal said education “cannot be allowed to become a victim of privatisation and centralisation”. The party now plans to take the “chanda chori” campaign to the grassroot level, flagging it in every small town and village. Calling the probe by a Special Investigation Team of the Uttar Pradesh a “sham”, the party has demanded a judicial probe, and a statement from the Prime Minister accepting responsibility for the theft that has shocked the country.
