Modi govt's 4th anniversary: Congress unveils 'India betrayed' protest theme

Gehlot press conference Ashok Gehlot and other Congress leaders releasing pamphlets on the BJP's shortcomings in governance | Aayush Goel

The Congress is all set to use the fourth anniversary of the Narendra Modi government to launch its campaign for the coming Lok Sabha elections, having planned protests all over the country on May 26, the day the BJP regime was sworn in four years ago, with the focus being on the ruling dispensation's alleged failure to live up to its promises.

In an indication of the line of attack that the Congress will adopt in the run-up to the Lok Sabha elections, the theme of the nationwide protests planned by the principal opposition party is 'India betrayed'. The idea behind the theme—which will set the tone for the Congress' campaign against Modi and the BJP ahead of a crucial election season—is to focus on the Modi government having allegedly betrayed the trust of the people by making false promises.

It has been decided that in every state capital, the PCC chief and the AICC general secretary in charge of the state will address a press conference and hold a demonstration to highlight how the Modi government has allegedly betrayed the nation. A similar format of protest will be followed in the districts.

The effort of the Congress is to find a narrative that is strong enough to counter the dominant narrative of the Modi government. The party feels that the perceived discontentment among the people with regard to the BJP regime not living up to its promises could provide it with a counter-narrative.

“Four years ago, many promises were made by Narendra Modi. People trusted him. But he betrayed the people... Farmers, youth, traders, women, everyone now feels betrayed... The Congress will raise its voice for the various sections of society that feel betrayed by the Modi government,” said AICC general secretary Ashok Gehlot.

In keeping with the new-found thrust on opposition unity to take on Modi and the BJP, especially in the backdrop of the Congress tying up with the JD(S) in Karnataka to form the government, Gehlot said that as declared by Congress president Rahul Gandhi at the party's 'Jan Aakrosh' rally in Delhi recently, the party will work towards aligning with like-minded parties for the Lok Sabha elections.

Indicating the party's inclination to put together an alliance for the Lok Sabha polls, the senior Congress leader said, “As you saw in Karnataka, opposition parties will come together. The situation in the country is such and all sections of society are so unhappy that the people will force every party in the country to come together to defeat Modi and the BJP.”