Congress Party's Nationwide Protest Against Inflation, GST Today. Rahul Gandhi To Address Press Conference

Congress workers have gathered at AICC headquarters in Delhi ahead of the protest. Section 144 CrPC was imposed in the entire area of the New Delhi district except for Jantar Mantar.

New Delhi: The Congress party is set to hold a massive nationwide protest on Friday wherein its leaders will gherao Prime Minister Narendra Modi's residence against price rise, unemployment, and Goods and Service Tax (GST). 

The party's former president Rahul Gandhi will also address a press conference at 9:30 am at All India Congress Committee (AICC) headquarters in the national capital.

Section 144 Imposed In Delhi, Police Deny Permission For Congress Protest

In the national capital, Congress MPs will hold "Chalo Rashtrapati Bhavan" from Parliament to register their protest. CWC members and senior leadership will participate in "PM House gherao".

According to a statement from the party, Congress Working Committee (CWC ) members and senior leaders will take part in "PM House gherao" while Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha MPs will hold a "Chalo Rashtrapati Bhavan" from Parliament.

Congress workers gathered at AICC headquarters in the national capital ahead of the protest.

However, the Delhi Police have denied permission for the agitation. Section 144 CrPC was imposed in the entire area of the New Delhi district except for Jantar Mantar. "Protest/dharna/ gherao in the area of New Delhi district on August 5 cannot be permitted in view of security, law and order, and traffic reasons," ANI reported Delhi Police as stating.

Barricades were put up on Akbar Road and police were also present there as workers start arriving near the party office.

Earlier on Tuesday, top Congress leaders deliberated on the party's strategy for the August 5 nationwide protest. 

AICC general secretaries Mukul Wasnik, Ajay Maken, Avinash Pande, and in-charges Rajeev Shukla, Shaktisinh Gohil, Manickam Tagore, and state unit presidents including D K Shivakumar, and various other leaders participated in the meeting and discussed how to make the protest a grand success.

"A meeting of general secretaries, incharges, PCC presidents and heads of frontal organizations was held today at AICC HQ to coordinate the preparations for Congress's nationwide protest on 5th August, and for the celebration of 75 years of Independence," All India Congress Committee general secretary K C Venugopal tweeted on Tuesday.

The Congress has been continuously raising the issues of price rise and the hike in the GST on daily use items. Congress MPs have been staging protests both inside and outside Parliament on these issues.

Amid demands for a discussion on price rise from the beginning of the Parliament's monsoon session, the proceedings in both Houses were adjourned on multiple occasions as Opposition members created an uproar over issues of inflation and other issues like alleged misuse of central agencies.

(With Agency Inputs)