The Congress in a counter-offensive of sorts, launched a nationwide campaign to expose the allegedly communal forces behind Anna Hazare and Baba Ramdev's campaign against corruption and black money. Kickstarting the campaign, senior party leader and Union Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee hit out at the civil society activists for misusing the right to protest.

Speaking to the media, Mr Mukherjee said, "They are saying, you will have to agree with what  we are saying. Who has given them the legitimacy? If 5000 people support one person, does it justify these things?" Stepping up the attack, Mr Mukherjee also claimed that the fasts were being sponsored and encouraged by the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) to further their political motives.

The Congress party's latest strategy seems to be based on the proverbial killing two birds with one stone. The party intends to blunt the campaign by Anna Hazare and Baba Ramdev, propping it as an agitation largely supported by the BJP which has latched on to the hunger strikes by the civil society activists to attack the government for inaction against corruption.