Detained Congress MPs, including Rahul Gandhi, at at Police Lines Kingsway Camp. (ANI)Congress Protest Highlights: Over 300 Congress leaders, including Rahul and Priyanka Gandhi as well as Shashi Tharoor, were detained in Delhi on Friday amid the party’s nationwide protest against the Centre on issues of inflation, unemployment and GST on food items. “Total 335 protesters including 65 MPs have been detained under 65 Delhi Police Act in order to maintain law & order in the area… The protesters tried to obstruct the police officers from performing their duties, manhandled & injured them. Appropriate legal action is being taken,” news agency ANI quoted Delhi Police as saying.
Earlier in the day, Rahul Gandhi launched a scathing attack against the government, saying India was no longer a democracy, but a dictatorship. “India is witnessing the death of democracy,” he said in a press conference. “What India has built brick by brick, starting almost a century ago, is being destroyed in front of your eyes. Anybody who stands against this idea of onset of dictatorship is viciously attacked, jailed, arrested and beaten up.”
Security was tightened in several places and Section 144 was clamped down across the New Delhi area, except Jantar Mantar. As the protests also took place in other places across the country, several demonstrators were also detained in Mumbai, Chandigarh among other places.
Piyush Goyal and Mallikarjun Kharge (Photo: Congress/File)
As many as 335 protesters including 65 MPs have been detained under 65 Delhi Police Act in order to maintain law and order in Delhi during Congress's protest against the Centre over price rise. Intimation about detention of MPs/MLAs is being sent to the respective competent authorities, said Delhi Police. "Congress supporters organized a protest in Delhi today. Orders u/s 144 CrPC are also in force in Delhi. The protestors tried to obstruct the police officers from performing their duties, manhandled & injured them. Appropriate legal action is being taken," the police said.
Black was the colour of the protest for the Congress on Friday --from Kurtas and headgears to scarves and sarees-- were among the sartorial choices the party leaders opted for as part of a novel protest to draw the government's attention to what they said was a "grim" economic situation in the country.
The 136-year-old party which is known for its traditional approach to protests sprang a surprise with what many saw as an out-of-the-box messaging by deciding to have black as the dress code for its nationwide protest against price rise, hike in GST on essential items and unemployment. --PTI
The police use water cannon to disperse the Congress leaders and workers in Chandigarh who have been protesting against the Centre over the issues of inflation and unemployment.
Punjab Congress chief Amarinder Singh Raja Warring along with other leaders & party workers hold a protest against the Central govt over issues of inflation & unemployment
Amid nationwide protests by the Congress on the issues of inflation, unemployment and GST on essential food items, Haryana Congress workers, led by Haryana Pradesh Congress Committee president Udai Bhan and Congress Legislature Party leader Bhupinder Singh Hooda, were detained by the police Friday as they held a protest march in Chandigarh.
The Congress leaders, who started the protest march this noon from Congress party headquarters in Sector 9, were headed to Haryana Raj Bhavan but they were not allowed to reach the governor’s residence. Read more
Several Congress MPs, including Rahul Gandhi, have been detained at Police Lines Kingsway Camp in New Delhi.
Delhi police detained Congress General Secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra outside the AICC headquarters, where she was protesting with other party leaders and workers. Take a look.
Congress leaders and party workers in Punjab, too, joined the nationwide protest against the Central Government over the issue of inflation. "Inflation is rising. Taxes are being imposed. We're apprehensive that we're hurtling towards a Sri Lanka-like crisis. We're staging a dharna to rouse goernment from slumber,"Punjab Congress chief Amrinder Singh Raja Warring told ANI.
Several Congress leaders, including Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, are protesting outside the AICC Headquarters in Delhi.
Amid the security clampdown on Congress leaders protesting against the Centre, Rahul Gandhi tweeted: "This dictatorial government is scared. From the condition of India, from the backbreaking inflation and historical unemployment, from the ruin brought by our policies. He who is afraid of the truth threatens those who raise their voice!"
Several Congress leaders, including Rahul Gandhi and Shashi Tharoor, were detained on Friday after launching a protest march from Parliament to Rashtrapati Bhavan against issues of inflation, unemployment and GST on food items. "Despite protesting peacefully, with no hint of violence or misbehaviour, Congress MPs have been detained at Vijay Chowk and are being carted off to a police station. This is unnecessary and undemocratic," tweeted Tharoor.
Hitting back at Rahul Gandhi, the BJP on Friday accused him of "blaming" Indian democracy and its institutions for the Congress' repeated defeat in polls under him and the ongoing ED probe against him in the National Herald case.
Shortly after Gandhi's press conference here, former Union minister Ravi Shankar Prasad said the Congress leader made "shameful and irresponsible" comments and noted that it was his grandmother and then prime minister Indira Gandhi who had suspended people's democratic rights by imposing Emergency. (PTI)
Leaders of the Congress party on Friday kicked off their protest march from Parliament to Rashtrapati Bhavan to register against issues of inflation, unemployment and GST on food items.
Even as the Delhi Police shot off a letter to the party on Wednesday denying permission for the march, Congress MP Digvijaya Singh Thursday said, “All Congress MPs will march to Rashtrapati Bhavan tomorrow to raise the issues such as price rise and inflation.” With senior leaders of the party set to surround the residence of Prime Minister Narendra Modi as part of their protest, Section 144 has been imposed across New Delhi, except in Jantar Mantar, police officials told news agency ANI.
Taking a jibe at the BJP government, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi said that Hitler, too, won elections. 'How did he use to do it? He had control of all of Germany's institutions...Give me the entire system, then I will show you how elections are won,' he said.
In a letter addressed to AICC General Secretary and Congress MP KC Venugopal, dated August 4, the New Delhi District police said that Section 144 CRPC is in force throughout the New Delhi District, with the exception of the Jantar Mantar area.
Noting that information had been received that there would be a protest in the New Delhi District area on the 5th, the police said that the same could not be permitted for reasons of security, law and order, and traffic. The police cited guidelines complying with a 2018 Supreme Court order and other civil appeals. The NDD Police said that violation of the direction might invite legal action. (ENS)
Commenting on rising cost of essential goods and rampant unemployment in the country, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi said that he did not think Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman has "any understanding of what is happening in India", calling her a "mouthpiece" of the government.
Launching a scathing attack on the BJP-led central government, senior Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Friday said India is witnessing the “death of democracy” and that those who are standing up against the “onset of dictatorship” are being viciously attacked, arrested and jailed.
The Congress high command has given a call to party units to hold protests across the country on Friday over price rise, unemployment and hike in GST rates of essential commodities. In Delhi, party MPs are planning to take out a march to the Rashtrapati Bhavan and senior leaders, including Congress Working Committee (CWC) members, are to demonstrate outside the Prime Minister’s residence. “How are you enjoying the onset of dictatorship in India… how do you feel about the death of democracy,” Gandhi asked as he began addressing a press conference at the All India Congress Committee (AICC) headquarters in Delhi. Read more.
Ahead of the Congress protest, security personnel have been deployed near PM Narendra Modi's official residence.
Rahul Gandhi: "Question all you want. There is absolutely nothing there, everybody knows it. My job is to resist the idea of the RSS and I am going to do it. The more I do it, the more I will be attacked, the harder I will be attacked. I am happy, attack me."
Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Friday said that the more he stands up for "people's issues" the more likely he is to face attack. "I get great joy when my poltiical oppenents attack me," he said, adding that each attack teaches him about the political battlefield and what he is fighting for.
"Just ask ED officials what happened when they interrogated me," he said.
'Idea is, people's issues, whether price rise, unemployment, violence in society, must not be raised. That's sole agenda of Govt & Govt is being run to protect interest of 4-5 people & this dictatorship is being run in interest of 2-3 big business people by 2 people,' said Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Friday.
All Indian institutions are now controlled by the RSS, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi said on Friday. Anyone questioning the government now has to face ED investigations and the threat of arrest, the Congress leader added.
Addressing a press conference at the AICC headquarters in New Delhi, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi said that the country is witnessing the "death of democracy". "What India has built brick by brick, starting almost a century ago, is being destroyed in front of your eyes. Anybody who stands against this idea of onset of dictatorship is viciously attacked, jailed, arrested and beaten up," he said.
Addressing a press conference ahead of the Congress party’s nationwide protest against unemployment and price rise, Rahul Gandhi said that India was no longer a democracy, but a dictatorship run by four people. “India is witnessing the death of democracy,” the Congress leader said.
Ahead of the Congress' nationwide protest against unemployment and price rise, party leader Rahul Gandhi is set to hold a press conference at the AICC headquarters on Friday.
The Delhi police on Friday issued a traffic advisory, warning of heavy congestion in parts of the National Capital, including Shanti Path, Ashoka Road, Sardar Patel Marg, Prithvi Raj Road, and Mother Teresa Crescent Marg. Due to the Congress protest, bus routes have been restricted around Dhaula Kuan, Ridge road, Minto point, Mathura road and Lodhi road.
Moments away from the Congress' protest, security forces are on high alert across the National Capital. Senior Congress leaders are set to 'gherao' Prime Minister Narendra Modi's house later on today.
With the Congress set to hold a nationwide protest over rampant unemployment and price rise, section 144 has been imposed across New Delhi, except around Jantar Mantar. Traffic snarls are anticipated. Take a look.
Traffic movement will be affected on some stretches of Lutyens' Delhi on Friday as the Congress is all set to stage a mass protest against price rise, unemployment and GST hike, officials said here.
The city traffic police on Thursday said special arrangements have been made and diversions will be suggested as per expected spots of congestion on major roads. Vehicular traffic will be affected on Akbar Road and parts of Ashoka Road and Raisina Road, traffic officials said.
Special Commissioner of Police (Traffic) S S Yadav said, "Special arrangements have been made and necessary diversions have been suggested on expected congestion points. We have made all the contingency arrangements for all types of situations, and we will ensure that least inconvenience is caused to the public." (PTI)