In the wake of visuals showing Delhi Police allegedly barging into the office of the Congress in the national capital, the party, on Wednesday, declared plans to escalate its protests against the Enforcement Directorate's questioning of former party chief Rahul Gandhi and the police's alleged high-handedness against its leaders who were agitating against the ED action.
Over the last three days, even as the ED has been questioning Gandhi, the party has been staging protests in Delhi. Images of confrontation between the Delhi Police and Congress leaders have emerged, showing party leaders being dragged, pushed into buses and taken away to police stations. The perception that the police has been acting in a partisan manner strengthened on Wednesday when a group of policemen entered the the party office premises, chasing former MP Kamal Kishore who was protesting outside. They caught hold of the leader and left.
The Congress, which has accused the police of unleashing violence against its leaders at the behest of the Modi government, sought to highlight the incident and hold nationwide protests over it. All Congress Legislature Party leaders and state unit chiefs were to hold press conferences on Wednesday evening, and on Thursday, the party plans to gherao all Raj Bhavans across the country.
“In an act of absolute goondaism perpetuated by Delhi Police at the insistence of Modi government, the Delhi Police today forcibly entered the national headquarters of the Indian National Congress at Delhi, and beat up workers and leaders. This is patently criminal trespass. The goondaism of Modi government and Delhi Police has reached its zenith,” said AICC communications department head Randeep Singh Surjewala.
“Let all the police officers, who are acting as puppets of Modi government in order to please their masters, know that this will not go unpunished. We will remember, and suitable action, both civil and criminal, will be taken,” he said.
The party demanded suspension of the policemen who entered the party office and initiation of disciplinary enquiry against them.
For the third day on Wednesday, as Gandhi continued to be questioned by the ED and his party attempted to hold protests, scores of workers and leaders were detained by the police.
Congress' whip in the Lok Sabha Manickam Tagore sought the intervention of Speaker Om Birla over the alleged high-handedness of the Delhi Police against party leaders.
Tagore and a group of party MPs held a protest in front of the Gandhi statue in Parliament complex.
“MPs are being attacked by Delhi Police. We want to carry out a non-violent protest. At least, we can hold our non-violent protest in Parliament complex,” he said.
Delhi Police said for the past three days, senior leaders of the Congress have been repeatedly informed that processions or protests are allowed only at designated areas as per the guidelines of the Supreme Court.
In a statement, it said despite the suggestions of the police to hold a protest in Jantar Mantar, Congress leaders have “again and again tried to create public disturbances in the area.”
It said today too, some workers of the Congress tried to take out a procession from the party office and were prevented by the cops. The police said some of the miscreants burnt tyres and damaged police barricades which led to traffic congestion and inconvenience to commuters.
The police claimed that they tried to prevent the situation from deteriorating while maintaining utmost restraint.
