New Delhi: Congress leader Randeep Surjewala said the party would gherao all Raj Bhawans across India on Thursday to protest against Delhi Police personnel entering the Congress headquarters in Delhi and beating up workers. Speaking to reporters, Surjewala demanded an FIR against the police personnel who allegedly entered the AICC office.
Several Congress leaders and workers have been protesting outside the party office and ED headquarters since Monday over summons to Rahul Gandhi by the ED in the National Herald money laundering case. Rahul Gandhi appeared for questioning before ED for the third consecutive day on Wednesday.
"In an act of absolute goondaism perpetuated by Delhi police on the directions of the government, they entered Congress office and beat up workers. This is criminal trespass. Their goondaism has reached its zenith. This won't be tolerated and will be accounted for," ANI quoted Randeep Surjewala as saying.
"We demand an FIR be lodged, they be suspended and disciplinary inquiry be initiated. Today, all Congress leaders will hold press conferences. Tomorrow, Congress will gherao all Raj Bhavans across India. Protests will also be held at all district levels day after tomorrow," the Congress national spokesperson further said.
Several Congress workers, including IYC chief BV Srinivas and Delhi Congress chief Anil Chaudhary, were detained on Wednesday. Videos showed several Youth Congress and Mahila Congress workers being forcibly taken away by police. Agitated party workers also burnt two tyres outside the ED office to register their protest against the police action.
LATEST UPDATES | Rahul Gandhi Joins ED Questioning For Third Day, Congress Intensifies Protests
Congress leader Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury also alleged that police entered the AICC office and beat up Congress workers. "Our workers are being beaten up mercilessly," PTI quoted Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel as saying.
Congress MP Karti P Chidambaram shared a video on Twitter where police can be seen barging into the party office and carrying away a man, presumably a party worker. "Delhi Police behaving like the private militia of the BJP by entering the HQ of the Congress," he tweeted along with the video clip.
Delhi Police has put up barricades around the AICC office and workers were prevented from entering the party office on Wednesday, PTI reported. Congress leaders claimed this was the first time that party workers were not allowed to enter the AICC office.
Delhi Police Denies Going Inside AICC Office, Using Lathi Charge
Addressing a press conference, Delhi Police said Congress did not have permission for gathering on Wednesday and prohibitory orders banning the assembly of more four or more people were in place in central Delhi since Monday.
"Today is the third day of demonstration, police made proper arrangements. We have detained around 150 people. Congress had not taken any permission for gathering today. We had communicated to Congress in writing last night that no gathering should be conducted around ED office and on Akbar Road with Section 144 imposed. When some workers didn't agree to our appeal today also, we detained them. In 2.5 days, around 800 people detained," ANI quoted SP Hooda, Special CP (L&O), as saying
The Special CP also said that Congress workers threw barricades at police near AICC office and there might have been a scrimmage. "But police didn't go inside the AICC office and use lathi charge. Police are not using any force. We will appeal to them to coordinate with us," SP Hooda said.