Congress to launch massive 'Jan Jagran Abhiyan' against back-breaking price rise, unemployment

Indian National Congress is launching a mass agitation campaign named ‘Jan Jagran Abhiyan’ from November 14 to November 20, against the run-away inflation and back breaking price rise which is "destroying livelihoods and adding to people’s woes caused by the destruction of the economy, deepening recession, highest ever unemployment rate, farm distress and escalating levels of poverty and hunger", the party said in a statement.

The Congress said that the unemployment rate is at an all time high at 8-9%. "During 10 years of Govt, Congress-UPA pulled 27 crore Indians out from ‘Below the Poverty Line’(BPL). Over the last two years, the Modi Govt has pushed 23 crore fellow Indians back below the poverty line", the Congress said. Citing data, the party said in the statement that 14 crore jobs were lost during the Covid period alone. Crores of daily wagers and the salaried class have faced up to 50% salary cut.

The government's own ‘Periodic Labour Force Survey’ has further highlighted the miserable conditions, farmers are forced to live in. The survey highlights that farmers in India earn an average of Rs 27 per day, even below the MGNREGA wage. 22 out of 36 states and UTs have run out of MGNREGA funds and an additional Rs 50 thousand Crore of budgeted outlay is required, which Modi Govt is refusing to provide. All this is adding to the woes of the people.

The Jan Jagran Abhiyan will focus on these woes of people and raise voice against them. During the course of the ‘Jan Jagran Abhiyan’, Congress 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 in the CNG, cooking gas, diesel, petrol, cooking oil, pulses and other essential commodities.

Congress leaders and workers shall undertake a week-long ‘Padyatra’ with night halts in the villages/towns/cities of their mass contact areas. ‘Padyatra’ will begin every morning with a ‘Prabhat pheri’ followed by ‘Shramadaan’/ Cleanliness drive. ‘Padyatris’ will hold numerous small group meetings to communicate the nuances of inflation and its adverse effects on everyday lives of the common people.

Besides organising training camps at the state level, the Congress will also launch a social media campaign on November 12. The party will also issue a toll free number for people to connect with this campaign.

Soon the campaign logo will be launched and the Congress will also release a pamphlet with facts about price rise, its repercussions and a questionnaire about people’s prevailing predicament