Congress slams Delhi Police for entering party office, to stage more protests

The Congress will protest outside Governor Houses across the country on Thursday against the police action and on Friday, protests will be staged at every district headquarter.

On Wednesday, as Delhi Police detained several Congress workers and leaders once again, a group of police personnel entered inside the gate of the party office and pulled out and detained party workers triggering a protest by senior leaders of the party.

"They entered the Congress office and detained and manhandled workers and leaders... Democracy has been crushed under bulldozer," Congress Chief Spokesperson Randeep Singh Surjewala said.

"Delhi Police and BJP should consider this as a warning... Don't test our patience. How did the Police dare to enter the Congress office? Does this mean they can enter anyone's house and say why are five people sitting here?" he said.

"Delhi Police will have to answer, we are nonviolent but we will hold them accountable. All Delhi Police officials who are busy licking the boots of the Modi government should know every official who is taking law into their hands will be held accountable," he said adding that it was done at the behest of the ruling BJP.

Surjewala condemned the incident and demanded an FIR against guilty police officials and their suspension.

"Today, Delhi Police forcibly entered the HQ of India’s oldest political party. As they burst the doors open to the AICC HQ, they trampled upon the democracy our forefathers fought and gave their lives for. BJP has truly killed Indian democracy. It doesn’t get darker than this," Congress General Secretary KC Venugopal said in a tweet.

Delhi Police DCP Amrutha Guguloth however denied entering the party office premises. "No such incident took place," the DCP said in response to queries on the incident.

Videos shared by several Congress leaders, however, showed police personnel stepping inside the party office's gates.

Former Congress President Rahul Gandhi was called to the Enforcement Directorate for questioning on the third consecutive day on Wednesday. Heavy barricading continued in Central Delhi, and once again protesting Congress leaders and workers were detained.

On Wednesday, Rahul Gandhi did not come to the Congress office and reached the ED office directly unlike the last two days.

At the Congress office, the crowd was less than the last two days as police allowed only a limited number of workers.

Exits were blocked from both sides of Akbar road where the Congress office is situated. Congress workers and leaders first staged a sit-in protest inside the party office.

Soon, a group of women Congress members tried to march out of the party headquarters and were detained. Following the women party workers, members of NSUI also tried to stage a march and were stopped by force right outside the gate.

Some police personnel also entered the party office briefly and pulled out a few Congress workers and detained them, enraging many.

It also triggered a protest by several senior Congress leaders including Chhattisgarh CM Bhupesh Baghel, Leader of Congress in Lok Sabha Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury, Ajay Maken, KC Venugopal, Gaurav Gogoi and others who sat at the gate and raised slogans in protest.