In the absence of mass protests amid social distancing norms during the coronavirus disease (Covid-19) outbreak, the Congress has shifted gears to open online fronts.

The opposition party is planning to hold an online nationwide protest on Thursday to put pressure on the Centre to accept its demands for providing immediate financial assistance to farmers, migrant workers, daily wage earners and small businesses hit by the pandemic.

In a letter to all state unit chiefs, Congress general secretary incharge (organisation) KC Venugopal has asked them to mobilise around 5 million participants on all social media platforms to register their protest and highlight the "sufferings" of migrant workers, Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) and other distressed sectors.

The online campaign will run from 11am to 2pm.

"As you know, lakhs of migrant workers, farmers, workers in the un-organized sectors, MSMEs, small scale businesses, fishermen and daily wage earners are in grave distress. They are struggling, without money, food, job and other essentials items," the letter read.

"For over two months now, since the nationwide lockdown began, our nation's soul has been pained by the pictures and videos of our migrant workers desperately trying to get back to their hometowns and villages. From walking hundreds of kilometres on our highways to packing into trucks, trailers and every form of transport available, many of them have died on their long journey," it added.

In the letter, Venugopal also said the Congress has been undertaking relief efforts and providing all possible support to migrant workers. "Congress president Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi have been giving suggestions to the central government to alleviate the sufferings of our migrant workers, farmers and daily wage earners. But instead of providing support, the central government continues to ignore the plight of them and has failed to take any meaningful measures."

Venugopal has also asked the state unit chiefs to ensure the participation of over 5 million workers and "sympathisers" in the campaign to be run on different social media platforms such as Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and YouTube.

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