Congress to hold nationwide fast today to protest against Centre, non-functioning of Parliament

Congress president Rahul Gandhi will lead a protest at the Raj Ghat in New Delhi on Monday as part of a nationwide "fast" of the party to protest against the Narendra Modi government and non-functioning of the Parliament during the recently concluded Budget Session.Congress workers will hold a day-long fast in all state and district headquarters to protest against the BJP government and promote communal harmony and peace across the country.In the national capital, Gandhi will sit with Delhi Congress chief Ajay Maken and party workers to protest against the government and its failure to hold a discussion in the Parliament on key issues such as the CBSE paper leak, the multi-crore Punjab National Bank scam, Cauvery issue and special category status to Andhra Pradesh.The Congress will also take up issues related to the alleged dilution of the SC/ST (Prevention of Atrocities) Act, 1989, farm distress and disillusionment among the youth.The BJP has also announced that its MPs will observe a fast on 12 April to protest against the impasse in the Parliament.[caption id="attachment_4413783" align="alignleft" width="380"]

Representational image. Reuters[/caption]The fasts come in the background of the largely-wasted Budget Session of the Parliament which concluded on 6 April. The BJP and the Congress blamed each other for the impasse and announced countrywide fasts in protest.While Modi had announced that NDA MPs would hold a fast on 12 April to the Opposition's behaviour in the Parliament, Congress chief Rahul Gandhi told party workers to hold a fast on 9 April to "expose" the BJP's "lies" on the issue.Addressing BJP MPs on the party's foundation day, Modi had kept Congress in his line of fire and spelled out an exercise by party lawmakers and ministers for reaching out to villages with substantial Dalit and tribal population through implementation of his government's seven key welfare schemes.On the other hand, Gandhi has directed party workers to organise a nationwide fast to protect and promote harmony among various sections.In a letter to all PCC chiefs, party general secretary Ashok Gehlot said, "Peace and harmony have been embodied in the soul of this country and the responsibility to uphold it lies with the Congress".He said what has happened on 2 April during Bharat bandh was very unfortunate and it was very dangerous for the social fabric of this country and blamed BJP-ruled Centre and state governments for not initiating steps to curb violence neither to protect the fraternity."Therefore, it becomes even more important for the Congress to lead the nation in tough time," he added.With inputs from PTI