Top Congress leaders, staff march in solidarity with Rahul Gandhi 

By PTI

NEW DELHI: Walking within the blistering summer time warmth and elevating slogans of solidarity with Rahul Gandhi, Congress members defied police restrictions as they joined their occasion chief when he headed to the Enforcement Directorate workplace for questioning within the National Herald case on Monday.

Several staff had been detained within the morning once they had been on their method to be part of the ‘Satyagraha march’ referred to as by the opposition occasion, however scores of others gathered on the occasion headquarters right here by 9 am, holding the nationwide and occasion flags.

Slogans of ‘Inquilab Zindabad’ and ‘Rahul tum sangharsh karo hum tumhare saath hain (Rahul you battle, we’re with you)’ lease the air as Rahul Gandhi, Priyanka Gandhi and different distinguished leaders of the Congress reached the occasion workplace.

The protesters waved placards that learn: ‘Satyamev Jayate’ (Truth Alone Triumphs) and “Will not fear, will not bow, will fight for truth anyhow,” because the procession comprising senior leaders, occasion functionaries and grassroots-level staff moved from the AICC headquarters in the direction of the ED workplace practically two kilometres away.

A employee was seen strolling barefoot as his slippers broke. “Blisters have appeared on my feet. But the march must continue as Rahul Gandhi is our favourite leader,” he stated.

A small cage that had a poster with ED and CBI written on it was put on the occasion workplace in a symbolic protest by the occasion which has accused the Centre of misusing businesses to focus on opponents.

“We have tried to show that the ED and CBI are inside BJP’s cage. The agencies are no longer autonomous. They have become parrots of BJP,” stated a employee.

The Congress, which has claimed that the costs in opposition to its leaders within the case are baseless and has accused the Modi authorities of political vendetta, dubbed the march as a begin of Mahatma Gandhi’s ‘Satyagraha’ (peaceable resistance).

The ruling BJP, nevertheless, criticised the Congress, accusing it of celebrating corruption.

The opposition occasion’s march made it by way of two factors of barricading however was stopped on the third level, the place a number of distinguished leaders, in addition to staff, had been detained and brought away in police vans and buses.

Congress’ chief spokesperson Randeep Surjewala, who shared an image on Twitter after being taken away by the police, alleged that “thousands” of occasion staff have been arrested and in contrast the Modi authorities to the British imperialists.

Due to the barricading, Rahul Gandhi needed to take a detour to succeed in the probe company’s workplace and sat in his automotive for the previous few minutes of his 15-minute journey as a sea of individuals surrounded his automobile.

While the streets across the headquarters and ED workplace had been closely barricaded, chaotic scenes erupted as defiant Congress staff refused to maneuver again regardless of police’s quite a few warnings.

Prominent amongst these detained had been Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel, Ok C Venugopal and Leader of Congress in Lok Sabha Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury. A employee climbed atop a bus during which detainees had been being taken away and raised slogans. The police ultimately introduced him down.

Congress chief Vamshi Chand Reddy additionally shared an image of Rajya Sabha MP Venugopal, who was allegedly manhandled by the police throughout detention.

“This man @kcvenugopalmp is just recovering from Covid but look at his fighting spirit. Got arrested and standing strong with @RahulGandhi, the man fighting for the “concept of India”,” Reddy tweeted.

The occasion additionally shared footage of Priyanka Gandhi assembly the detained leaders at a police station.

The ED will document the assertion of the Lok Sabha member from Wayanad in Kerala underneath felony sections of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA). The probe pertains to alleged monetary irregularities within the party-promoted Young Indian that owns the National Herald newspaper.

National Herald is printed by the Associated Journals Limited (AJL) and owned by Young Indian Pvt Limited.

The Gandhis are anticipated to be grilled concerning the incorporation of a Young Indian firm, the operations of the National Herald and the fund switch inside the information media institution.