Amid Rajasthan crisis, Congress attacks BJP with 'Speak Up For Democracy' campaign on Twitter

India's democracy will function according to Constitution and echo the voice of the people, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi said on Sunday while participating in his party's online campaign to "expose" the "BJP's designs to violate" constitutional and democratic norms.

He also said that people will reject the saffron party's "conspiracy of deceit and deception".

The party on Sunday carried out the "Speak Up For Democracy" online campaign that seeks to "expose" what it called the saffron party's "designs" to topple the Ashok Gehlot dispensation in Rajasthan and other state governments run by non-BJP parties.

A large number of Congress leaders participated in the digital campaign.

"India's democracy will function in accordance with the Constitution and echo the voice of the people. The people of the country will protect democracy and the Constitution by rejecting the BJP's conspiracy of deceit and deception," he said in a tweet in Hindi.

Gandhi also put out a video that accused the BJP of "ripping up the constitution and demolishing democracy" even as the whole country was in the middle of the pandemic.

"It had done the same in Madhya Pradesh. We demand to immediately convene an assembly session, which is within our constitutional rights," it was demanded in the video.

AICC General Secretary K C Venugopal claimed that the campaign was a success and it exposed the "dissolute political actions of the BJP" at a time the entire nation was reeling under the Covid-19 pandemic.

The Congress government in Rajasthan is facing a threat after Gehlot's former deputy Sachin Pilot rebelled against the party. Eighteen other MLAs are backing Pilot. The Congress has accused the BJP of being behind the revolt, a charge denied by the saffron party.

The Congress will on Monday stage demonstrations outside all Raj Bhawans at 11 am to lodge their protest against the Rajasthan Governor's action. However, the Rajasthan state unit will not do so outside the Raj Bhawan in Jaipur.

The ruling party in Rajasthan has accused the governor of delaying a session of the state Assembly. It also alleged "misuse" of the powers of governors in toppling governments run by non-NDA parties.

Congress General Secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra reminded that, "Leadership is recognised in times of crisis. In Covid-19 national crisis, the country needs a leadership that works in the public interest."

"But the BJP government at the centre has made its intention and its character clear by trying to topple the governments elected by the people. The people will answer," she said.

Venugopal said the online campaign ran from 10 am with people posting videos asking the Rajasthan governor and the Narendra Modi government to show accountability.

"It resonated with the people and the trend remained at top (on social media) across India and was number five worldwide with more than 3,00,000 tweets till about 5 pm," he claimed in a statement.

CWC members, chief ministers, senior party leaders, MPs, MLAs, Congress state unit presidents, party office bearers and ordinary workers participated in the campaign demanding that the Rajasthan governor convene the Assembly Session as recommended by the state Cabinet.

The Congress' state units will on July 27 hold protests in front of the Raj Bahwans demanding 'Save Democracy- Save Constitution' and "exposing the anti-democratic and anti-constitutional actions of the BJP".

The protest gatherings will be held by strictly adhering to the social distancing protocols required by the health and civic authorities, Venugopal said.