Congress president Sonia Gandhi on Thursday said democracy has never been in greater peril than today and asked Congress workers to spread across towns and villages to fight on the ground, adding that aggression on social media would not work.

Holding her first meeting of national office-bearers and state leaders after becoming party president again, Sonia said: “Democracy has never been at greater peril than it is now. As I said a few weeks back, the mandate of 2019 is now being misused and abused in a most dangerous fashion.”

Briefly touching on the economic crisis, which she said would be dealt with former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, she said: “We are also meeting at a time when vendetta politics is at its peak and when those who speak out against the ruling establishment are being threatened and intimidated. Each and every institution is being diabolically subverted. The voices of dissent are being silenced.”

She exhorted the party: “The country is looking to us to confront and combat these forces — forces that appropriate Gandhi, Sardar Patel, Ambedkar and misrepresent their true message for their nefarious ends. We must stand up fearlessly to fight on the streets, fight in villages, towns and cities. We must have a concrete agitational agenda on issues of pressing concern to the people — whether economic or social. It is not enough to be active and aggressive on the social media even though that too is needed and we need to do that better. Far more important is to go to the people directly.”

Realising that desertions from the Congress had a debilitating impact on the workers, Sonia said: “Our resolve and resilience is under severe test. We cannot afford to let our self-confidence and morale falter. This is the time when it will become clear as to who are those steadfastly devoted to the Congress as an ideology, for strengthening the nation; and those who look to the Congress only as an opportunity for self-advancement. Some of our party colleagues have left us in recent times. All I can say is that they have revealed their opportunistic character.”

She asked the Congress-ruled states to perform and deliver on promises, and aspire to stand out as examples of sensitive and responsive governance, accountable and transparent administration.

Thirty-two leaders spoke at the meeting where the main agenda was to chalk out a plan to celebrate 150th birth anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi. But a detailed agitation programme was declared after Sonia’s nudge.

The Congress will hold padyatra (march) in every state capital on October 2 and every senior leader has been asked to participate. The padyatra and other Gandhi-related programmes will continue in blocks and districts across the country till October 9. The party will also initiate a membership drive from October — both physical and digital — and senior leaders have been instructed to lead the campaign.

The state units have been asked to hold conventions on the economy from September 15 to 25 to explain to the people the true nature of the slowdown to puncture the government’s propaganda. Nationwide agitations on economy will start from October 15, which may include a few public rallies.

Sonia stressed the need for training Congress workers; particularly to counter the falsehood on nationalism and secularism, which the BJP has used to confuse new voters. Sonia will individually meet Congress chief ministers to discuss governance and delivery of manifesto promises.