Cops use water cannons on protesting Punjab Cong leaders
CHANDIGARH : The Punjab Congress on Thursday staged a protest against the alleged “continued and prolonged harassment” of party leader Rahul Gandhi by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) at the behest of the BJP government at the Centre.
Hundreds of party workers led by Punjab Pradesh Congress Committee (PPCC) president Amarinder Singh Raja Warring and leader of opposition in the Punjab Vidhan Sabha Partap Singh Bajwa took out a march from the Punjab Congress Bhawan in Chandigarh. They were headed to Raj Bhawan to stage a protest but were stopped on the way by the Chandigarh Police which had set up barricades. As the protesting Congress workers tried to march past the barricades, police used water cannons to stop them and detained several party workers and leaders. They were taken to Sector 3 police station.
Addressing the party workers, Warring said the ED’s intentions were very clear as they only wanted to harass Rahul Gandhi. “They have been questioning him for hours together for so many days, only to call him again the next day,” he said, claiming that even the ED did not know what charge was against Rahul.
Deputy Congress Legislature Party (CLP) leader Dr Raj Kumar
Chabbewal, former speaker Rana KP Singh, former deputy chief minister OP Soni, former ministers Tript Rajinder Singh Bajwa, Aruna Chaudhary and Pargat Singh, Punjab Congress general secretary Capt Sandeep Sandhu, Punjab Youth Congress president Brinder Singh Dhillon, MLAs Sukhpal Khaira, Vikram Chaudhry, Hardev Ladi, Sukhwinder Kotli and Balwinder Dhaliwal and several former legislators were among the party leaders who participated in the protest.
Youth Cong to protest ‘Agnipath’ scheme
Punjab Youth Congress president Brinder Singh Dhillon said the organisation will protest against the new ‘Agnipath’ recruitment scheme announced by Centre for the armed forces.
J&K Cong leaders court arrest
Jammu and Kashmir Congress leaders intensified their protest against the Enforcement Directorate’s questioning of party leader Rahul Gandhi with several leaders, including J&K party president Ghulam Ahmad Mir, courting arrest after authorities stopped their march to the Raj Bhawan on Thursday. Congress leaders and workers assembled outside the party office at Shaheedi Chowk and tried to take out march towardsRaj Bhavan when police took them into preventive custody.