Kannur: Even as the Congress dropped a plan to mark the ‘Ramayana’ month, its youth wing has decided to organise a rakshabandhan festival. The Youth Congress has come out with rakhis dabbed with the tricolours of the Indian national flag, in contrast with the saffron rakhis the RSS has been using to spread its foothold.

The idea was mooted by the Congress mandal committee at Kadamboor in Kannur. The party unit has ordered for 1,000 rakhis which leaders have proposed as a symbolic protection against the communal politics practised by the RSS and the BJP. Another committees in the district may also take up the proposal.

The Congress leaders said that they would ensure the participation of all sections of society in the programme, which will be held in front of the pictures of national leaders including Mahatma Gandhi. The programme will be launched on the Independence Day on August 15 and go on for a week.

The Youth Congress leadership in the state is yet to formally endorse the plan even though it has given its tacit support to the programme which is envisaged as a counter campaign to the RSS.