Congress on Thursday launched a huge rally in Maharashtra's Nagpur on the occasion of the party's 138th foundation day. During the rally -- titled 'Hain Taiyyar Hum' -- a strange thing was seen as the grand old party had put bar codes behind the chairs in order to raise funds from the crowd. A video has also surfaced showing bar codes along with a photo of senior party leader Rahul Gandhi.
WATCH THE VIDEO HERE:
Congress seeks donation
"In our fight for a better India, 138 years and counting...INC needs you, INDIA needs you! For a Behtar Bharat (sic)," read the text along with the bar code. "Five lucky donors at the National Level Mega Rally in Nagpur will be presented with a certificate of donation by Rahul Gandhi Ji on stage," the text further read.
Congress launched 'Donate for Desh' campaign
This comes after the Congress had announced a nationwide crowdfunding campaign 'Donate for Desh' on December 18 to generate resources for the party ahead of the 2024 Lok Sabha elections. Senior party leaders like KC Venugopal and Ajay Maken said Indians above the age of 18 can donate a minimum of Rs 138 or in multiples such as Rs 1,380, Rs 13,800 and so on to the campaign. Venugopal said the crowdfunding initiative was inspired by Mahatma Gandhi's historic 'Tilak Swaraj Fund', which was launched more than a hundred years ago in 1920-21.
BJP hits out at Congress
However, the move was slammed by the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) which slammed the Congress party alleging it was "another attempt to siphon off public money and enrich the Gandhis". The saffron party pointed to the recent record cash seizure during income tax raids against a company linked to a Congress MP Dhiraj Sahu.
Rahul Gandhi addresses rally
On the occasion of the 138th foundation day of the party, senior Congress leader Rahul Gandhi addressed a rally in Nagpur city on Thursday. Speaking at the rally, Rahul Gandhi said that there is a war going on between two ideologies in the country and the upcoming general elections will be a battle of two ideologies. He also said that Congress will undertake a caste census after coming to power at the Centre after the Lok Sabha elections in 2024.
Many top party leaders from Maharashtra and other states took part in the event, while its former president Sonia Gandhi and general secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra did not attend the rally. Earlier today, Congress president Kharge unfurled the party flag at AICC HQ in Delhi on the party's 138th Foundation Day celebration event.
(With inputs from agencies)
