Sonia to lead Congress march to President today

New Delhi: Congress president Sonia Gandhi and vice president Rahul Gandhi will lead a march of party leaders to Rashtrapati Bhavan on Tuesday to appeal to President Pranab Mukherjee to use his constitutional powers to end the "atmosphere of intolerance". 

On the eve of the Congress march, Sonia had a meeting with President on Monday, but it was described as a courtesy call by the AICC.

The Gandhis and other party leaders will march from the Parliament House to Rashtrapati Bhavan to plead with the President that as head of the nation, he should ensure an end to "the atmosphere of intolerance, intemperate behaviour, violence and communal polarisation", Congress sources said.

Members



of the Congress Working Committee, AICC general secretaries and office-bearers and party MPs will be part of the delegation meeting the President, who has repeatedly sought to underline the need to preserve India's core values of diversity, tolerance, and plurality of Indian civilization.

The move by the Opposition party came in the backdrop of protests by artistes, writers and scientists over alleged "rising intolerance" reflected in the Dadri lynching, beef row and other such incidents.

Two days ago, Sonia had expressed her concern over rising intolerance and had vowed to fight the "diabolical design" of divisive forces to spread hatred which, she said, posed a threat to the unity of the country.