Congress to launch nationwide stir against price rise, inflation from Nov 14

New Delhi, Nov 10: The Congress will launch a 15-day nationwide mass agitation programme from November 14 to highlight the issue of inflation and price rise.

Congress general secretary KC Venugopal charged at a press conference that price rise is destroying livelihoods and adding to people's woes and that it has been caused by ''destruction of the economy, deepening recession, highest-ever unemployment rate, farm distress and escalating levels of poverty and hunger''.

Attacking the government over the issue, Congress general secretary Randeep Surjewala said the Modi government has proved to be the most ''expensive regime''.

Venugopal said the prices of mustard and other edible oils have doubled in the last one year. Seasonal vegetable prices have increased by 40-50 per cent in a month. The cost of subsidised LPG cylinder has gone up by 50 per cent to Rs 900-1,000 in the last one year.

Similarly, petrol and diesel prices have gone up by Rs 34.38 and 24.38 to Rs 103.97 and Rs 86.67 per litre respectively in the last 18 months, he said, adding the back-breaking price rise and inflation, unprecedented levels of unemployment and loss of jobs has made lives unbearable for the common people. He claimed that 14 crore jobs were lost during the Covid period alone. Crores of daily wagers and the salaried class have faced up to 50 per cent salary cut.

The unemployment rate is at an all time high of 8-9 per cent. During 10 years of its government, the Congress-UPA pulled 27 crore Indians out from the 'Below the Poverty Line' (BPL) while in the last two years, the Modi government has pushed 23 crore fellow Indians back below the poverty line (as per the latest report of Azim Premji University), he charged.

Congress leader Digvijaya Singh said during the course of the agitation, which is being called 'Jan Jagran Abhiyan', party workers will reach out to the maximum number of people across the country to strengthen the people's voice against the ''unprecedented'' price rise of CNG, cooking gas, diesel, petrol, cooking oil, pulses and other essential commodities.

He said the AICC is also launching the logo of 'Jan Jagran Abhiyan' and releasing a pamphlet with facts about price rise, its repercussions and a questionnaire pertaining to people's prevailing predicament.

Congress leaders and workers shall undertake a week-long 'padyatra' (march) with night halts in villages, towns or cities of their mass contact areas, he said.

'Padyatra' will begin every morning with a 'prabhat pheri' (early morning rounds) followed by 'shramdan' (voluntary contribution towards community) and cleanliness drive and 'padyatris' will hold numerous small group meetings to communicate the nuances of inflation and its adverse effects on lives of the common people.

An AICC training camp is also being organised for state level trainers from November 12 to 15 at Sevagram and Wardha in Maharashtra with specific emphasis on issues pertaining to the 'Jan Jagran Abhiyan'. The state level trainers shall conduct a training programme at Parliament, assembly and sector level, Singh said.

The AICC will be issuing a toll free number on which the participants of the 'Jan Jagran Abhiyan' and those supporting it can register themselves through a missed call.