Congress announces ‘Save Constitution’ drive from April 25, plans to counter BJP’s ‘disinformation campaign’

New Delhi: The Congress announced a nationwide ‘Save Constitution’ campaign across the country from April 25, which will continue till May 30. The party will also counter the BJP’s disinformation campaign about the National Herald issue, with senior leaders holding press conferences in different cities across the country.

This was decided at a meeting of the Congress general secretaries, state in-charges and heads of various frontal organisations, presided over by the Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge.

Samvidhan Bachao rallies

Briefing reporters after the meeting, party general secretary-communications, Jairam Ramesh, disclosed that in follow-up to the resolution passed at the Ahmedabad AICC session, the ‘Samvidhan Bachao’ rallies will be organised at the PCC level from April 25 to April 30. This will be followed by similar rallies at the district level from May 3 to May 10. From May 11 to May 17, the Samvidhan Bachao rallies will be held across 4500 assembly segments all over the country. From May 20 to May 30, there will be a door-to-door campaign to save the constitution.

Jairam Ramesh accused the BJP government of misusing the Enforcement Directorate against the Congress leaders. Referring to the National Herald issue, he said, there was no legal issue involved, as it was just a case of political vendetta orchestrated by two individuals with a criminal mentality. He announced that to counter the BJP’s disinformation about National Herald, Congress leaders will hold press conferences in different cities across the country from April 21 to April 24.

“This is not a legal issue, but a political issue smacking of political vendetta, politics of persecution, intimidation and fear mongering,” he said.

Reservation quota in private educational institutions

Referring to the resolution passed at the Ahmedabad session, he said, the party’s focus will be on social, economic and political justice. He said today’s meeting reiterated the party’s demand for a caste census across the country. Besides, it will be pursuing the issue of reservation for the SC, ST and OBC students in private educational institutions. The party also reaffirmed the demand for removing the 50 per cent ceiling on the reservations.

On economic justice, it reiterated its commitment to a legal guarantee on the MSP and fixing the MSP on the Swaminathan formula and debt waiver for the farmers. The meeting emphasised the need for the revival of the MSMEs, most of which have been closed due to massive Chinese imports.

The Congress general secretary also referred to strengthening and empowering the DCC presidents. Besides, a special process for the appointment of the DCC presidents has also been formulated. There will be five observers involved in the appointment of the DCC presidents, he said, adding, four of them will be from the PCC and one will be from the AICC.

The process of appointment of DCC presidents will be completed in Gujarat by May 31.