Neither will we get intimidated, nor allow them to intimidate you, the Congress pledged on Tuesday in a “don’t-be-scared” message to the people that would have sounded anachronistic in a democracy but need not be so when the perceived politics of intimidation has managed to silence many public figures.

“This government wants you to accept everything without questioning what the dictator says. I can assure you, there is no need to be scared of them and tolerate the dictatorship. They are cowards. They fear your strength and unity and that’s why the continuous attacks. If you unite to resist them, they will get frightened. I take a vow; neither will we get intimidated, nor allow them to intimidate you,” Congress MP Rahul Gandhi said in a Facebook post.

The audacious message came amid a raging discourse about the brazen targeting of political opponents by the Enforcement Directorate (ED), which on Tuesday raided multiple places across the country related to the National Herald. A day earlier, Shiv Sena leader Sanjay Raut was taken into custody in a decade-old case.

Rahul had tweeted on Monday: “The emperor’s message is clear — whoever speaks against me will suffer miseries. The attempt to demoralise and silence the opponents by misusing central agencies is continuing. But the dictator should take note, truth will triumph in the end and arrogance will be defeated.”

On Tuesday, he posted a more comprehensive critique on Facebook, telling the citizens: “Don’t think you are alone. The Congress is your voice and you are the strength of the Congress. We have to fight every firman, every attempt to crush people’s voice by the dictator. I and the Congress party are fighting for your cause and will continue to do so. You know very well, what are the issues to be discussed today because every wrong policy of the government affects your life.”

Rahul added: “We were trying to question the government on your issues in the monsoon session but you saw how the government got Opposition members suspended and arrested. The Houses were adjourned. When the debate happened yesterday, the government bluntly said, ‘there is no problem of price rise’.

“The country is grappling with the pandemic of unemployment. Crores of families do not have any stable source of income. But the government is squandering billions of rupees to refurbish the image of a haughty king. The reality today is that the common man is struggling not to fulfill his dreams but for two-time meals.”

On Tuesday, at a meeting of office-bearers in which all the state unit chiefs participated through videoconference, the Congress finalised a plan to conduct countrywide protests against price rise on August 5. While demonstrations will take place in every state, the Prime Minister’s residence will be gheraoed in Delhi.

Declaring that the agitation will intensify, party spokesperson Supriya Shrinate said: “Modi might have succeeded in intimidating some leaders by raids and blackmail, but we are not going to give up. We will continue to ask questions, expose his failures.

“We know they are desperate to divert people’s attention from real issues. Let them conduct as many raids as they want, our questions won’t stop. But we will have to say that political vendetta has hit rock bottom. The brazenness, the vindictiveness is unprecedented. No government stooped so low.”

Shrinate added: “They questioned Rahul Gandhi and Sonia Gandhi for days in a row. All the transactions are recorded and returns have been filed. The details are with the Registrar of Companies. What more is to be found out that they had to raid the National Herald offices?

“Under Section 25 of the Companies Act, no profit is possible, no dividends given. The intention is only to harass, intimidate and defame. They have turned the process into punishment. Every dictator presumes he can intimidate everybody. But he is wrong in our case. We will continue to fight.”