Congress protest: Delhi police files case; Rahul Gandhi targets Centre

Delhi Police has filed a case against Congress workers in connection with the protests held on Friday.

File Photo (ANI)

New Delhi: The Delhi Police has filed a case at the Tughlaq Road police station in connection with a protest held by the Congress party, PTI reported. Congress leaders and workers participated in a nationwide protest against the price rise, unemployment and the Goods and Services Tax (GST) hike on essential items on Friday. Visuals of several Congress leaders dressed in black being detained at Police Lines Kingsway Camp in Delhi had also emerged. 

A case under sections 186 (obstructing public servant in discharge of public functions), 188 (disobedience to order duly promulgated by public servant), 332 (voluntarily causing hurt to deter public servant from his duty) and 34 (common intention) of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) has been registered at the Tughlaq Road police station, Deputy Commissioner of Police (New Delhi) Amrutha Guguloth said on Saturday (August 6). 

Reacting to the FIR, Congress MP Rahul Gandhi said, "In our country protesting is illegal, voicing our opinions is illegal. They (BJP govt) can do whatever they want”. 

The Delhi Police had denied permission to the Congress to stage a protest citing prohibitory orders in New Delhi district. More than 300 Congress protesters, including 65 members of Parliament, were detained by the police on Friday. 

Special Commissioner of Police, L & O Division, Dr Sagar Preet Hooda said the Congress party organised agitation at several places in the city including Akbar Road, Vijay Chowk and Jantar Mantar. As per Hooda, protesters were warned about the prohibitory orders in place and were asked repeatedly to disperse from the area. However, they continued the protest, thereby violating prohibitory orders under section 144 CrPC, he added. 

"When the police personnel moved in to contain the situation, the protesters tried to obstruct the police officers from performing their duties, manhandled and injured them," IANS cited Hooda as saying. 

(With agency inputs)