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Cong vs Delhi Police: Party gives ‘gherao’ warning as cops deny entering office
Delhi Police special CP (law and order) SP Hooda said that it had communicated to the Congress party last night that no gathering should be carried out near the ED office and on Akbar Road as Section 144 is imposed along the stretch.
Protests erupted in Delhi on Wednesday as Congress leader Rahul Gandhi was questioned by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) in the National Herald case for a third consecutive day. Hostile stand-offs were witnessed outside and between the Congress' HQ and the ED's office in central Delhi, with police and security personnel struggling to keep protesters in check. Visuals shared by news agency ANI showed tires being burned to shouts of 'Rahul Gandhi zindabad' and Congress workers being hauled away in police vans; senior leader Sachin Pilot was among those detained.
Both sides have now hit out at the other over the clashes and protests.
Delhi Police has accused the Congress of not taking required permission for its protests, and the party has threatened to “gherao”, or surround, Raj Bhavans, or the official homes of governors and lieutenant-governors - across India tomorrow.
Catch live updates of Rahul Gandhi's questioning here
Sagar Preet Hooda, Special CP (Law and Order), said Delhi Police had made “proper arrangements” ahead of the ED's questioning of Rahul Gandhi. "We have detained around 150 people. Congress had not taken any permission for gathering today; their office bearers know about the area in which Section 144 is imposed,” he was quoted by ANI.
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Hooda also said police had told the Congress last night that no gathering would be allowed near the Enforcement Directorate office or the party HQ on Akbar Road as Section 144 - orders banning large gatherings - had been imposed along the stretch.
"When some workers did not agree to our appeal today also, we detained them. In two-and-half days, around 800 people [have been] detained," Hooda said.
He claimed the Congress' senior functionaries, chief ministers, former chief ministers, ex-cabinet ministers and MPs “are always facilitated as per the list they provided”. "Even when they did not properly coordinate today, we facilitated their senior functionaries," Hooda told ANI in response to claims by the opposition party that the authorities were stifling their voices.
Meanwhile, the Congress's national general secretary, Randeep Surjewala, blasted the police for having allegedly stormed the party's Delhi office. Taking to Twitter, he uploaded a video that showed major commotion with several police officers at the office.
"The whole country is watching this… terror and atrocities. Modi ji, Amit Shah and Delhi Police…all will be remembered. After oppressing CM, MP, former Union minister, senior leaders and women, the country's main opposition party Congress was attacked by the police by entering the headquarters,” Surjewala tweeted.
Speaking to ANI, he claimed Delhi Police not only entered the Congress office but also 'beat up workers'. "This is criminal trespass. Their goondaism has reached its zenith. This won't be tolerated and will be accounted for," Surjewala was quoted as saying.
He said the Congress demanded a First Information Report (FIR) be registered and that the cops who entered the party's office be 'suspended and (a) disciplinary inquiry be initiated' against them.
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"Today all Congress leaders will hold press conferences. Tomorrow Congress will gherao (surround) all Raj Bhavans across India. Protests will also be held at all district levels day after tomorrow," Surjewala said.
Congress's Rajya Sabha MP, KC Venugopal, also shared the same video.
"Today, Delhi Police forcibly entered the HQ of India's oldest political party. As they burst the doors open to the AICC (All India Congress Committee) HQ, they trampled upon the democracy our forefathers fought and gave their lives for," he said, adding that the BJP had 'truly killed' Indian democracy. "It does not get darker than this."
Dehi Police, however, rubbished all such claims. Hooda said some people had thrown barricades at police personnel stationed near the Congress' office and, therefore, there might have been a 'scrimmage'. Police 'did not go inside the AICC office (or) lathi charge', he stressed.
Rahul Gandhi has been questioned for well over 25 hours across Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday in connection with the National Herald case. He left the central agency's office at 11.30 pm on Tuesday after being questioned for over 11 hours on the second day.
