Massive Congress protests erupt as ED quizzes Sonia Gandhi; Ashok Gehlot, Sachin Pilot among detained

New Delhi: Senior Congress leaders, including Ashok Gehlot and Sachin Pilot, and party workers across the country were detained by police for protesting against Enforcements Directorate probe against their party chief Sonia Gandhi in the National Herald case.

#WATCH Delhi | Congress workers detained in the wake of protest over ED probe against Sonia Gandhi in National Herald case pic.twitter.com/4XbRQuhCZA

— ANI (@ANI) July 21, 2022

Gandhi, 75, arrived at the federal probe agency’s headquarters in central Delhi a little after noon escorted by her Z+ category CRPF security cover. Gandhi, who was diagnosed with Covid recently, was accompanied by her children Rahul and Priyanka Gandhi. The Delhi Police deployed a huge force and barricaded the entire over 1 km stretch between Gandhi’s residence on Akbar Road-Janpath and the ED office even as traffic restrictions have been enforced around the area. As Sonia Gandhi was to appear before the ED today, the Congress had planned nationwide protests against the ‘vendetta politics’ unleashed by the Modi government against the Opposition. It was not just the party workers who took to the streets but even senior Congress leaders held marches and demonstrations across the country.  “It is happening for the first time in the country that they are stopping dharna demonstration…,” said Rajasthan Chief Minister Gehlot after being detained.

Delhi | Senior Congress leader Ashok Gehlot and others detained. "It is happening for the first time in the country that they are stopping dharna demonstration...," he says pic.twitter.com/Uu4PEpXUbc

— ANI (@ANI) July 21, 2022

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Pilot said there is misuse of investigating agencies in the country and the right of the people to protest is being crushed upon. “There is misuse of agencies in the country… it’s our right to protest in a democracy, but it is also being crushed upon…,” he said.

Congress leader Sachin Pilot detained for protesting over ED probe against Sonia Gandhi. "There is misuse of agencies in the country... it's our right to protest in a democracy, but it is also being crushed upon...," he says pic.twitter.com/JQuqfUB3p4

— ANI (@ANI) July 21, 2022

In a tweet message, Senior Congress leader Jairam Ramesh said all Congress MPs and CWC members have courted mass arrest outside our party headquarters in a show of collective solidarity with Sonia Gandhi.

All Congress MPs & CWC Members have courted mass arrest outside our Party HQs in a show of collective solidarity with Congress President Smt. Sonia Gandhi, a target of Vishguru's political vendetta. We are being taken away to a police station in Old Delhi evidently.

— Jairam Ramesh (@Jairam_Ramesh) July 21, 2022

Carrying large banners saying “stop misuse of ED”, Congress leaders also held a march inside the Parliament complex in a show of strength against questioning of Sonia by the ED. Earlier in the day, the party alleged that the Delhi Police is preventing the media from entering the AICC headquarters in the national capital. The ED probe against Sonia Gandhi pertains to alleged financial irregularities in the Congress-promoted Young Indian Private Limited, which owns the National Herald newspaper. The newspaper is published by Associated Journals Limited (AJL) and owned by Young Indian Private Limited. With inputs from agencies Read all the Latest News , Trending News , Cricket News , Bollywood News , India News and Entertainment News here. Follow us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.