Congress holds simultaneous programmes in all 27,711 booths, says BJP ‘destroyed’ Gandhi’s philosophy

Guwahati, Oct. 2 (PTI): The Congress in Assam on Friday organised special programmes in all 27,711 booths to highlight the relevance of Mahatma Gandhi and alleged that the ruling BJP has hijacked his ideology and destroyed his philosophy.

Assam Pradesh Congress Committee (APCC) president Ripun Bora said party workers also staged protests across the state against the “highhandedness” meted out to its leaders Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi when they tried to visit the family of the woman who died after being allegedly gang-raped in Hathras in Uttar Pradesh.

“We have held simultaneous meetings at almost all 27,711 booths in Assam on the occasion of the 121 birth anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi.

“We have highlighted the relevance of Gandhiji in present situation, how BJP hijacked his ideology and destroyed the history and philosophy of Gandhiji,” he said.

Bora, a Rajya Sabha member, himself participated in one of these programmes at Gohpur in Biswanath district where scores of people also took part.

The APCC president said people’s response to the Congress event was “overwhelming” as all have realised the “hollow” promises made by the ruling BJP in Assam and at the Centre.

“People are fed up with the BJP rule and want to get rid of the party. Gandhi Jayanti is an occasion when people took vow to remove BJP from power in Assam next year,” he said.

The next Assam Assembly elections are likely to be held in March-April next year.

The Congress is all set to lead an opposition ‘Mahajoot’ with likeminded parties like the AIUDF, Left and some ethnic groups in Assam in the coming assembly polls.