New Delhi, April 20 (IANS) In a powerful show of unity and resolve, the Congress is launching a nationwide campaign to counter what it calls the Bharatiya Janata Party’s (BJP) “web of lies” and “anti-national attempts” to dismantle The National Herald, a publication deeply intertwined with India’s freedom struggle. 

From April 21 to 24, 57 Congress leaders will fan out across 57 cities, holding press conferences to “expose the lies of the BJP” and reach out to the public, said Congress spokesperson Pawan Khera in a post on X.

The grand old party alleges that the BJP is targeting The National Herald as part of a broader strategy to erase historical institutions that symbolise India’s democratic journey and the sacrifices of its freedom fighters.

Congress communications chief Jairam Ramesh described the campaign as “a battle for India’s soul.” He said the BJP’s actions reflect “a disturbing attempt to suppress independent voices and rewrite history.”

Congress senior leaders will address the media in major cities spanning the length and breadth of India - from Vijayawada to Varanasi and from Kashmir to Thiruvananthapuram - highlighting the campaign’s national scope.

The press meets will aim to shed light on the BJP’s “vindictive misuse of agencies” and what the Congress calls “an assault on press freedom".

The Congress contends that the attack on The National Herald is not merely political but an ideological part of a larger plan to weaken institutions that stood firm during India’s independence movement.

The party said it would continue to resist any such attempts with “truth, constitutional values, and the people’s support.”

The campaign signals that the Congress is seeking to galvanise public opinion not only around current issues but also around the legacy of India’s freedom and the institutions born from it, say party leaders.