Low turnout mars Cong’s Jantar Mantar show

Congress protest witnessed a thin crowd, sparking a debate within the party if it was poorly organised.

Top Congress leaders Wednesday descended at Jantar Mantar to attack the NDA government for altering the “heart and soul” of the land acquisition Act, and slammed Prime Minister Narendra Modi for fulfilling the “promises” that he had made to the “corporates and the rich” while ignoring the poor.

But, the Congress protest witnessed a thin crowd, sparking a debate within the party if it was poorly organised. Many leaders said they were not informed about the protest in advance.

The Delhi unit apparently was not involved, with leaders pointing out that local support was a must to ensure a good turnout. Congress’s poor show came a day after Anna Hazare’s show of strength at the same venue over the land acquisition ordinance.

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The dais, however, was overflowing. Congress president Sonia Gandhi’s political secretary Ahmed Patel, general secretaries Digvijaya Singh, Ambika Soni, B K Hariprasad, Ajay Maken, P C Chacko, former ministers Sriprakash Jaiswal, Jyotiraditya Scindia, Ashwani Kumar, MPs Deepender Hooda and V Hanumantha Rao were among the party leaders who were present on the stage. Several former MPs were also in attendance.

Former minister Jairam Ramesh was the main organiser of the protest — Zameen Wapsi Andolan. Rahul Gandhi was initially scheduled to lead the protest, but he went on a “sabbatical” Monday.

Digivijaya Singh said Modi has not honoured the promises he made to the people and only fulfilled promises he made to big industrialists. The land ordinance, he said, was a step in that direction.

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