At a time when Narendra Modi is becoming increasingly aggressive, Congress Vice President Rahul Gandhi today asked party's media managers "not to remain silent" and counter "with content" the Opposition propaganda.
He insisted that there should be "uniformity" in the response of party leaders on any issue from district Congress to the AICC level.
Addressing 32 media chiefs of the party from states and union territories, Gandhi also told them that a performance evaluation mechanism is there in the party now and hence those who have shown results will no longer be ignored.
Gandhi addressed the state media chiefs this evening at Jawahar Bhavan, where the party organised a day long workshop on social media, the first-of-its-kind to train spokespersons on Twitter, Facebook and other interactive internet sites.
Union Ministers Manish Tewari and Shashi Tharoor, AICC media department chief Ajay Maken and party MP Dipender Hooda addressed separate sessions for the partys' media strategists from across the country.
Gandhi did not address the session on social media and his interaction with the state media department chiefs was kept a close secret till the last.
During his interaction, Gandhi told the party leaders that they need not respond to the "lies and propaganda of the Opposition" in similar manner.
"The opposition propaganda can be countered even in a dignfied manner. Do not remain silent. Speak up and counter it strongly. You are the mouthpieces of the party.
"But for that you will have to up to date, when you go to participate in television debates. You have to back your arguments with content, Gandhi is learnt to have told them.
The Congress Vice President also told them while they should be debating freely and frankly any issue within the party fora, "there should be uniformity in your response when you go public and speak to television and media.
