At least two top Congress leaders may drop out from meeting President Ram Nath Kovind on Monday over the Rashtrapati Bhavan’s strict requirement for RT-CPR tests of visitors, people familiar with the matter said on Saturday.
“A former finance minister and the Congress’ newly-appointed communication department head Jairam Ramesh are believed to have informed their colleagues that they are not willing to do the test to meet the President,” said a senior leader aware of the developments.
A Congress delegation is scheduled to meet Kovind to complain against the alleged atrocities of the Delhi Police against the party leaders and workers, who have been protesting against the Enforcement Directorate’s (ED) summoning of former party chief Rahul Gandhi in the National Herald money-laundering case.
A communiqué from the party said that the delegation will meet Kovind on Monday “to bring to your notice the manhandling of and attacks on MPs by Delhi Police”.
But on Friday late evening, the Rashtrapati Bhavan informed the party that each member of the delegation should undertake RT-PCR tests as per the Covid-19 protocol.
“All visitors who meet the President are required to show RT-PCR negative report as per the Rashtrapati Bhavan protocol. This is a standard protocol and even those who came for the At-Home function last year had taken the test, “ said a senior official.
{{/usCountry}}“All visitors who meet the President are required to show RT-PCR negative report as per the Rashtrapati Bhavan protocol. This is a standard protocol and even those who came for the At-Home function last year had taken the test, “ said a senior official.
{{/usCountry}}The two leaders are believed to have pointed out that on Thursday, when the party’s delegation met Vice President Venkaiah Naidu on the same issue, they were not required to do such tests.
According to two Congress functionaries, leader of the Opposition in Rajya Sabha, Mallikarjun Kharge, Congress floor leader in Parliament Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury and other senior leaders will be part of the delegation.
On Thursday, a Congress delegation met vice-president Venkaiah Naidu while MP S Jothimani wrote to Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla against the “atrocious behaviour of Delhi Police” alleging that the MPs were “manhandled”. The MP also moved a notice for breach of privilege against DCP Amrutha Guguloth and ADCP1 Hemant Tiwari.
In the letter to Naidu, signed by Kharge and 7 other MPs, the Congress said, “We are writing to register our strongest possible protest against the atrocious manner in which the Delhi Police misbehaved with Congress Rajya Sabha MPs on June 13, 14 and 15.” The Congress also alleged that the actions of the Delhi police “were totally unprovoked and a brazen violation of all norms.”