Jammu/Srinagar: Several Congress leaders and workers were arrested in Jammu during a protest by party against the summoning of party President Sonia Gandhi by Enforce Directorate (ED) and her subsequent appearance. A similar protest was held by the party in Srinagar also.
According to a press note, several top leaders of Congress including PCC functionaries, former Ministers, Legislators, Corporators,and DCC Presidents, were amongst those arrested.
The Congressmen held a protest demonstration at Shaheedi Chowk Jammu and marched towards ED Office, in protest against ED for summoning Sonia Gandhi “as part of vendetta politics of government”, the release added.
Senior leaders comprising Working President Raman Bhalla, Former Deputy Chief Tara Chand, Mula Ram, Kanta Bhan, Ravinder Sharma, Yogesh Sawhney,Th. Balwan Singh, Manmohan Singh, Jugal Kishore Sharma, Vikar Rasool, Dr Manohar Lal Sharma, T.S. Bajwa, Th. Balbir Singh, Ashok Dogra, Krishan Bhagat , Subash Gupta, Dina Nath Bhagat, Gurbachan Kumari Rana, Ved Mahajan, Hari Singh Chib and several others were arrested alongwith workers.
The leaders and workers were carrying placards and raising slogans in favour of Congress President and against BJP Government and took out a peaceful march when a heavy contingent of police took them into preventive custody and were taken to District Police Line Jammu.
Earlier addressing the Congress workers Raman Bhalla, Working President PCC, said that by using the central agencies, the Centre was trying to demoralise the Congress to prevent emergence of a united opposition. “Otherwise, there is no reason to issue summons to Mrs Gandhi without filing a case,”the PCC Working Chief said.
He added that the party would intensify the protests and organise demonstrations. Bhalla hit out at the BJP-led Central government, accusing it of indulging in cheap vendetta politics to divert attention from issues such as inflation, falling GDP growth, social unrest, and social divisiveness in the country.
He said the case of money laundering was “weird” as there was no money involved. He argued that the charges were “hollow. “We will face them, we are not a bit scared or overawed or intimidated by such cheap tactics,”he said.
In Srinagar also a protest was held. Senior Congress leaders, former legislators, DCC Presidents, and prominent party leaders led by senior leader Ghulam Ahmad Mir assembled at Srinagar Party Office on Thursday morning and staged strong protest .
Former JKPCC President Peerzada Muhammad Sayeed, Former Ministers, Former Legislators G M Saroori, Haji Abdul Rashid Dar, Ghulam Nabi Monga, Mohd Amin Bhat, Gulzar Ahmad Wani besides PCC Office bearers, DCC Presidents and prominent party workers participated and expressed solidarity with Sonia Gandhi.
Speaking on the occasion Mir slammed ummon to Congress President Sonia Gandhi .He said such vendetta politics will not deter the leadership from opposing the wrong and anti-people policies of Modi Govt towards the people.
Congress has always been at the forefront of fighting tyranny and our Party President Sonia Gandhi has fought against innumerable odd she has faced in life, Mir said.