Cong to hold CWC meet at Wardha on Oct 2 to mark Mahatma Gandhi's 150th birth anniv celebrations

The Congress will hold its working committee meeting in Wardha on October 2 to mark the beginning of Mahatma Gandhi's 150th birth anniversary celebrations, and will give a message against the "atmosphere of fear, hate and violence" prevailing in the country, a senior party leader said Wednesday.

AICC Congress general secretary Ashok Gehlot, in a press conference, said party chief Rahul Gandhi will be at the Sevagram Ashram in Wardha, Maharashtra, for the meeting and will give his message on the occasion.

The Congress president has decided that efforts would be made to take Mahatma Gandhi's message to all homes in states, districts, blocks and villages, Gehlot said.

"This will begin from October 2 from Wardha Sevagram Ashram, where the Congress Working Committee will meet. At the ashram, there will be a prayer meeting, a 'shanti' (peace) march, and a public meeting in which Rahul ji will give his message," Gehlot said.

"Now fascist forces have have started taking the name of Mahatma Gandhi. Those who do not believe in democracy, those who believe in violence, these forces are indulging in politics over his name," the senior Congress leader said.

"In my entire political career, I have never seen such a political atmosphere --every family, every household is living in fear, there is an atmosphere of hate, there is an atmosphere of violence, innocents are being killed, economy has collapsed, farmers are committing suicide," he alleged.

Gehlot claimed that messages of hate were being sent "from the top".

He said that it was only befitting that from a place where the Quit India resolution was passed, a message to remove the "atmosphere of fear, hate and violence" is given.