Police enter AICC headquarters, drag workers out, says Congress: Surjewala slams 'barging in, kicking'

A woman MP alleged a cop tore her clothes on the streets as the party protested the government’s 'political vendetta' against Rahul Gandhi

Footage released by the Congress shows people in police uniform entering the AICC headquarters premises on 24 Akbar Road in New Delhi on Wednesday.

Sanjay K. Jha   |  TT  |  16.06.22:  The Congress on Wednesday accused the Delhi police of forcibly entering the party headquarters to “beat up leaders”, while a woman MP alleged a cop assault tore her clothes on the streets as the party protested the government’s “political vendetta” against Rahul Gandhi.

Rahul was interrogated again, for the third consecutive day, by the Enforcement Directorate in the National Herald money-laundering case.

Rahul has been asked to return to be questioned again on Friday.

Although Delhi police denied the Congress charge of “gundagardi (hooliganism)”, the party released a video that purportedly shows dozens of police forcing the main gate open, barging in and dragging a few party workers out. A senior officer, however, orders the personnel back within minutes.

A few journalists who had purportedly filmed the forced entry were allegedly pushed around.

Seething at the police, whom they accused of preventing even leaders from entering the party office for hours, seniors such as Chhattisgarh chief minister Bhupesh Baghel and general secretary K.C. Venugopal joined Congress workers on a dharna at the gate.

The Congress said later that it had filed a formal complaint at Tughlak Road police station against the police officials  who entered the AICC headquarters and attacked party workers.

On Monday, Rahul’s first day of deposition, the Congress had accused the police and paramilitary forces of imposing unnecessary restrictions to thwart a peaceful march and using excessive force that left some senior leaders injured.

At a news conference on Wednesday, party communications chief Randeep Surjewala hit out at the Delhi police, who report to the Union home ministry.

“The Modi government’s puppet, Delhi police, crossed all limits of gundagardi (hooliganism) today. They did what hadn’t happened in the 75 years of Independence,” he said.

“To break open the gate of the party office and beat up leaders inside the premises is a declaration that democracy is murdered already. Only a rule of misgovernance and oppression is left.”

Surjewala added: “How dare the police enter our office to assault the leaders? We will not tolerate it. Every officer who is breaking the law in sycophancy of the government will be taken care of.

“The police officials involved should be suspended and FIRs registered against them. There should be a departmental inquiry as well.”

Asked about the police claim that Congress leaders were being treated with respect, Surjewala said: “Pushing senior leaders, kicking workers and dragging woman MPs on the road is giving respect? There have been murderous attacks on several senior leaders.”

Jothimani, Congress MP from Karur in Tamil Nadu, released a video appeal for the Lok Sabha Speaker saying: “Delhi police have brutally behaved with us yesterday and today (Wednesday) as well. They assaulted us and tore my clothes (shows her torn kurta).

“This is happening to a Lok Sabha member. They removed my shoes. They carried me like a criminal. Now they are taking us somewhere in a bus. We are dying for water.

“We, seven-eight women in this bus, are repeatedly asking for water. They (have) refused. We are trying to buy water from outside and the police are stopping those who are selling water, telling them not to sell to us. This cannot be tolerated that a woman MP has to go through this. No woman should face this.”

The Congress leadership has asked all state unit chiefs to hold news conferences to condemn the police’s actions.

All the state units have been asked to gherao the Raj Bhavans on June 17 to underline the party’s allegation that the police excesses were directed by Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union home minister Amit Shah.

The Congress has held a videoconference with all the available office-bearers and decided to stay prepared for a sustained political battle if the ED arrests Rahul.

Youth Congress chief B.V. Srinivas has released a video of his alleged assault. Many senior leaders were detained at police stations through the day in various parts of the city.

Congress media department secretary Vineet Punia told The Telegraph: “I reached the party headquarters with great difficulty around 8am. It is my professional duty to be present in the party office when there is a press conference.

“All my senior leaders were supposed to address the media at 9am. I was stopped at the gate, despite explaining everything. I was standing outside the office. Somebody gave me the national flag. I was immediately dragged by policemen to a bus and now we are somewhere near Sonipat (Haryana) this late afternoon.”

Rajasthan chief minister Ashok Gehlot said he had never seen such a situation in the country.

“I became a Parliamentarian 42 years ago. I am a three-term chief minister. These last eight years of Modi’s rule will be known as a black chapter in India’s history. People are in fear; hatred and violence are everywhere. Congress leaders are not allowed to enter the party headquarters.

“Earlier, they said only 200 people would be allowed. Today they said only chief ministers can go (in). Those trying to reach here are arrested. Nobody will be safe if the rule of law is demolished.”

Chhattisgarh chief minister Bhupesh Baghel said: “Even our staff weren’t allowed to enter the AICC. Office-bearers, staff were not allowed. The entire area has been rendered out of bounds. Why are our rights curbed when we are doing only peaceful protest?”

The party’s Delhi-in-charge, Shaktisinh Gohil, warned the police against provocation.

“We don’t want to disturb the law-and-order situation in the national capital,” he said.

“If we call our workers from across the country to protest here, the Delhi police will not be able to control them. We have told them to register their protest peacefully wherever they are.”

Surjewala also protested against what he said were distorted impressions being created about Rahul’s interrogation.

“They are using television channels to spread lies. Nothing substantial about the National Herald case is being asked by the ED,” he said.

“We dare Modi to install cameras and show the interrogation live. Let Modi and Shah join the interrogation. But stop planting lies on channels to defame the Gandhi family and the Congress.”

One family: BJP

The BJP on Wednesday accused the Congress of having reduced itself to a party devoted to one family, pointing out how top leaders and chief ministers were camping in Delhi for Rahul Gandhi, who doesn’t hold any post.

The ruling party fielded Rajya Sabha MP and spokesperson Sudhanshu Trivedi to slam the “violent protests” by Congress leaders.

 “Rahul Gandhi is neither the party president, nor the leader of the Opposition and not even a senior MP. Yet all the leaders, including two chief ministers, are camping in Delhi to show solidarity with Rahul,” Trivedi pointed out.

“This shows how the Congress has reduced itself to a party devoted to one family,” he added.

He accused the chief ministers of Rajasthan and Chhattisgarh of neglecting their duty towards the people of their states and camping in Delhi only to show their devotion towards the Gandhi family.

The BJP leader alleged that the Congress leaders and workers were resorting to “violent protests” only to cover up the corruption by the Gandhi family.

He referred to Mahatma Gandhi’s decision to call off the Congress’s non-cooperation movement due to violence and said: “It shows how small the party, which claims credit for liberating the country, has become.”

Rubbishing charges of political vendetta, Trivedi said the National Herald case had started in 2012 when the BJP was not in power and claimed that now the ED was only probing the allegations.

(Additional reporting by J.P. Yadav)