New Delhi, Aug 05 (ANI): Congress MPs Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, Rahul Gandhi, Mallikarjun Kharge, KC Venugopal, Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury and others detained at New Police Lines Kingsway Camp Police Station during the nationwide protest against unemployment and inflation, in New Delhi on Friday. (ANI Photo/ ANI Pic Service)
New Delhi [India], August 5 (ANI): A total of 60 Congress MPs were detained on Friday by the Delhi Police during the party’s protest against the central government over the issues of inflation, price rise, GST and unemployment, said police. However, they were released after about six hours, Congress general secretary Jairam Ramesh said.
Rahul Gandhi, Gandhi Vadra, KC Venugopal, and Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury were among those detained by the Police. “Congress MPs have just been released after being detained for almost 6 hours for protesting peacefully and democratically against price rise, unemployment and GST,” said Jairam Ramesh in a tweet.
The protests were held at various sites of Delhi, including Akbar Road, Vijay Chowk and Jantar Mantar.
In a statement, the Delhi Police said a total of 335 protesters, including 65 MPs, had been detained under the Delhi Police Act in order to maintain law and order in the area. “Congress supporters organized a protest in Delhi today. Orders under Section 144 CrPC are also in force in Delhi. The protestors tried to obstruct the police officers from performing their duties, manhandled and injured them. Appropriate legal action is being taken,” said Police.
The Police said that the intimation about the detention of MPs and MLAs is being sent to the respective competent authorities. The protestors were appropriately warned about the prohibitory orders in force in the area and repeatedly requested to disperse from the area, the police said.
However, they continued the protest, thereby violating prohibitory orders under section 144 CrPC.
“When the police personnel moved in to contain the situation, the protestors tried to obstruct the police officers from performing their duties, manhandled and injured them. Appropriate legal action is being taken into the matter,” police said.
Congress MPs led by Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi held a protest in the Parliament House complex on Friday wearing black clothes as part of the party’s stir against the government on price rise and unemployment. The Congress leaders were stopped by the Delhi Police on way to Rashtrapati Bhavan. Sonia Gandhi did not take part in the party’s march. Congress also held protests in different parts of the country.
Earlier in the day, lashing out at the Centre on issues like price rise and inflation, former Congress Party President Rahul Gandhi said that India is witnessing the death of democracy. Rahul Gandhi alleged that the Centre has put “its people” in the government machinery.
“How do you feel about the death of democracy? What this country built in 70 years was destroyed in 8 years. There is no democracy in India today!,” senior Congress leader Rahul Gandhi said. The party has decided to stage a pan-India protest on Friday and hold a demonstration outside the residences of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and President Droupadi Murmu, however, it was denied by the Delhi Police.
Despite no permission from the Delhi Police, the party leaders said that they will go ahead with their proposed protest march. Visuals showed Congress General Secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra jumping over a police barricade placed near the AICC office here during a party protest against price rise and unemployment in Delhi. She was later detained by police during the Congress protest. (ANI)
