Congress to hold protests across India from March 24 in solidarity with Rahul

Congress will start countrywide protests from Friday in solidarity with its top leader Rahul Gandhi facing a jail term in a defamation case, which they claim is “politically motivated”.

The party MPs will also hold a protest in Vijay Chowk, just outside Parliament House, while attempts will be made to meet President Droupadi Murmu to impress upon her about the developments, sources said on Thursday night.

Also Read: AAP, others comes out in support of Rahul held guilty in defamation case

The decisions were taken at a meeting of senior Congress leaders chaired by party President Mallikarjun Kharge at his residence.

Sources said instructions have been given to all state presidents to organise protests across states from Friday.

Kharge, who is also the Leader of Opposition, will seek the support of other like-minded parties in the fight. A meeting of Opposition parties has been scheduled in Kharge’s office in Parliament on Friday.

Though they have raised objections on Congress’ role in the Opposition in recent times, AAP and Samajwadi Party have already made statements in support of Rahul, which the Congress leaders felt have blunted the BJP plans to make a big issue out of the conviction.

Sources said the central leadership will be having a digital meeting with all state presidents and Congress Legislature Party leaders on Friday evening to plan future protests on the issue.

On Thursday, the Congress rallied behind Rahul with a large number of MPs and party workers reaching Delhi airport to receive him when he returned from Surat.