Congress plans agitation programme against the BJP govt

The Congress on Wednesday rolled out its plan for a November-long agitation across the country on the issues of the ongoing economic crisis, farmers distress, unemployment and against India's joining the RCEP.

A statement released by party General Secretary K.C. Venugopal said that the party has decided to hold nationwide protests between November 5 and 15 against the "misrule" of the Narendra Modi-led BJP government, "with special focus on the adverse impact of the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership, current economic crisis, mounting unemployment, spiralling price rise, collapse of banking system, heavy loss of jobs in public and private sectors, and omnipresent farm distress".

The protests across India will culminate in a massive programme in Delhi in the last week of November, he said.

At the state level, the party has asked its state unit Presidents, Congress Legislature Party leaders and senior party functionaries to lead the agitation.

Interim President Sonia Gandhi has called a meeting of the party General Secretaries, state in charges, heads of frontal organisations and departments on November 2 to review the preparations for this agitation programme.

Venugopal said that the party has also decided to depute 31 senior leaders as observers to various states/UTs to monitor the agitation programme. Senior Congress leaders will also hold 35 press conferences in major towns and cities highlighting the issues relating to the "adverse impact" of the RCEP, the economic slowdown, unemployment, farm crisis, collapse of banking system and other key issues.

( With inputs from IANS )