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NEW DELHI — Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge on Monday launched the party's online crowdfunding campaign 'Donate for desh' here and also donated INR 1.38 lakh into the party’s account.
Congress treasurer Ajay Maken, senior party leaders K. C. Venugopal, Jairam Ramesh and several others were also present during the launch of the campaign at the residence of Kharge at 10 Rajaji Marg here.
LIVE: Launch of 'Donate for Desh' campaign.
— Mallikarjun Kharge (@kharge) December 18, 2023
📍New Delhi https://t.co/jn7xlKCKV1
Kharge himself donated INR 1.38 lakh for the online funding campaign.
Launching the campaign, Kharge said, "if you just keep collecting money from the rich, then one will have to make policies and programmes according to their wishes. Our party has always been with the underprivileged, Dalits, adivasis, OBCs, minorities and upper castes. We want to help them."
The initiative is to build the country with the help of common people, he said.
The Congress leader also said that the campaign is a commitment to upholding the rights of marginalised communities, bridging inequalities and being a strong opposition to the authoritarian government that favors a select few in capitalism.
He said that this initiative is inspired by Mahatma Gandhi's historic 'Tilak Swaraj Fund' in 1920-21.
"This is a nationwide movement to protect the values of the Indian Constitution and preserve the 138 year old glorious history of the Indian National Congress," Kharge said.
Maken said: "Our inaugural campaign 'Donate for Behtar Bharat', commemorates the 138-year journey of the Indian National Congress."
Maken also said that this is more than a campaign.
"It is a commitment to uphold the rights of marginalised communities, to bridge disparities, and to be a formidable opposition against a government favouring the affluent. We are fighting against unprecedented unemployment and rising inflation," he said.
"Embracing our history, we invite supporters to donate multiples of INR 138 or INR 1380 or INR 13,800, or more, symbolising the party's enduring commitment to a better India," Maken said.
He said that two channels have been created for this online crowdfunding, one through the dedicated online portal: donateinc.in and second through the official Indian National Congress website: www.inc.in.
He said: "We encourage our state-level office bearers, our elected representatives, DCC Presidents, PCC Presidents, and AICC office bearers to contribute to the online crowd funding campaign.
The crowdfunding initiative has an online as well as offline component. With the party completing 138 years on December 28, it is asking supporters to donate in multiples of INR 138 - for eg, INR 138, INR 1,380, INR 13,800 or more – symbolising the party's enduring committment to a better India.
The party wants its state-level office bearers, elected representatives, district and state presidents and party office bearers to contribute at least INR 1,380 each.
The campaign primarily will be online till December 28 after which a door-to-door campaign by volunteers, targeting at least ten houses in every booth for contributions of at least INR 138, will be initiated.