The Congress on Wednesday announced widespread protests at state, district, and block levels on October 8, observing ‘Black Day’ for Indian democracy after police action and detention against Congress leaders , Priyanka Gandhi, and others following a protest against CEC Gyanesh Kumar on Wednesday.
“Rahul Gandhi, Priyanka Gandhi, our senior leaders and MPs of INDIA Walk were brutally ill-treated, lathicharged and seriously injured. This attack on the Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha and the elected representatives of the people is an attack on the Constitution itself,” the Congress said in a statement.
The Congress said all Provincial Congress Committees (PCCs), District Congress Committees (DCCs) and Block Congress Committees (BCCs) are directed to organise widespread protests at state, district and division levels on October 8.
Congress to continue fight until Gyanesh Kumar resigns
The Congress said it will continue this fight until Gyanesh Kumar is removed from his post and the integrity of electoral system is fully restored.
In a press release, the AICC alleged that the Congress leaders were subjected to lathi charge, resulting in injuries. “Today, the BJP-led central government crossed all limits. When INDIA bloc MPs-led by Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge and Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi-were marching peacefully towards Jantar Mantar to demand accountability from the Election Commission, they were stopped and subjected to force. Rahul Gandhi, Priyanka Gandhi, our senior leaders, and INDIA bloc MPs were subjected to barbaric mistreatment and a lathi-charge, resulting in serious injuries,” the note signed by Congress General Secretary (Organisation) KC Venugopal read.
Congress terms police action an ‘attack on the Constitution’
The Congress also termed the police action an “attack on the Constitution” and said that the party will fight till CEC Gyanesh Kumar is removed from the post.
It should be noted Rahul Gandhi and his sister Priyanka Gandhi Vadra were forcibly removed on Wednesday by police and were detained after they along with other leaders staged a sit-in at the roundabout near Shangri-La hotel in central Delhi.
Rahul Gandhi and other MPs and leaders were headed in buses to the Jantar Mantar protest site after they were stopped by the police from proceeding further. They were taken to different police stations and Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi were released a little after 8 PM from police detention. While Rahul Gandhi was taken to the Barakhamba road police station, Priyanka Gandhi and others were detained in the Chhatrasal stadium.