Slow response to slowing economy? Cong plans mass protest, in November

Indian National Congress party has scheduled to hold 35 press conferences between November 1 and 8 as well as hold protests from November 5 to 15 to highlight the country's precarious economic slowdown. The party has blamed the current economic slowdown and rising unemployment on the “all-round mismanagement” by the Narendra Modi government, as earlier stated by former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh. The economy has come under pressure with the GDP growing by a meagre 5%.

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KC Venugopal, general secretary, All India Congress Committee (AICC) had in a statement on October 23 informed that the party would organise protests in various districts and state capitals. This would be culminating in a massive demonstration in the national capital. "It may be recalled that the decision in this regard was taken at the meeting headed by Congress president Sonia Gandhi with senior leaders, party office bearers and Incharges, Congress CMs and PCC presidents and CLP leaders on 12/13 September, but the earlier schedule of the programme slated between October 15 to October 25 had to be postponed because of the just-concluded assembly elections," the earlier statement said. "The party appeals to the people across the country to come forward and make the arrogant Government listen to their voice," the statement had further added.

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Slow response to a slowing economy

What comes as a surprise is a fact that the principal opposition party in the country is taking up this issue after the recent assembly elections. The economy grew by only 5% in the April-July quarter, the lowest rate since 2014. Unemployment rate according to recent government data stands at 6%. Private investments have remained subdued and recent government reforms like tax cuts are expected to take some time to make an impact. Banking, construction, automobiles and manufacturing sectors are all in stress.

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The Congress had been trying to raise the issue in the recently concluded Haryana and Maharashtra Assembly elections but couldn't. However, the strong and aggressive pitch by the Bharatiya Janata Party on nationalism, national security and the abrogation of Article 370 from Jammu and Kashmir left no thunder for the grand old party. 

(With ANI inputs)

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