The Delhi Police on Tuesday released all protesters, including Congress leaders and workers, who were detained from outside the Red Fort as part of its campaign against the government over Rahul Gandhi’s disqualification and “to save democracy”.
According to the police official, the situation at the site is now normal. Party MPs and workers had gathered at the Red Fort at 7 pm to participate in the Congress’ ‘Loktantra Bachao Mashaal Shanti’ march.
The detainees were brought to Kingsway Camp PS in North Delhi.
Congress leader Harish Rawat who was also detained by the Delhi Police said that the Central government “is scared” of Opposition unity.
“We wanted to take out ‘Mashaal March’ but so many police personnel were deployed & people were detained. The central government is scared of Opposition unity. We’ll take the issue to blocks, and villages. Democracy is in danger, we need to protect it,” he said.
Party leader KC Venugopal claimed that party workers were stopped by police.
“You should see the plight of democracy in the country. We are doing a peaceful torchlight march. Yesterday we discussed this with police & commissioners and they agreed. Today, they stopped our workers everywhere,” he said.
The Congress had planned ‘Loktantra Bachao Mashal Shanti March’ from the Red Fort to Town Hall in the national capital in the evening as part of its campaign against the government over Rahul Gandhi’s disqualification and “to save democracy”.
Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu hit out at the Union Government saying that no one can stop Rahul Gandhi from sending his message to the public even after being disqualified from Lok Sabha.
“They expunged his speech in the parliament but no one can stop him from sending his message to the public and the press,” Sukhu told ANI.
As part of its campaign against the government on the Adani issue, “to save democracy” and in solidarity with Rahul Gandhi, the party has planned protests and press conferences across the country.
The party’s month-long campaign includes press conferences by national-level Leaders in 35 major cities and Jai Bharat Satyagraha at district and state levels and Jai Bharat Maha Satyagraha at the national level.
The party has planned a public campaign to send postcards to PM Modi “questioning him on relevant issues”.The Trinamool Congress (TMC) MPs attended a meeting of Opposition parties called by Congress president and Leader of Opposition in Rajya Sabha Mallikarjun Kharge and also participated in the protest later.
The Congress has announced a month-long protest programme over the disqualification of Mr Gandhi after he was found guilty and sentenced to two years in prison in a defamation case from 2019 last week.
However, Congress and other Opposition parties are contemplating moving a no-confidence motion against Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla next week on the ground that opposition members were not being allowed to speak, the sources said on Tuesday.
As per the sources, the proposal was kept in a meeting of Congress MPs.
“Opposition parties may bring a no-confidence motion against Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla on Monday. The proposal was kept in a meeting of Congress MPs. Congress is talking to other Opposition parties in this regard,” the sources told ANI.
The trigger for the development came following the notification disqualifying Rahul Gandhi, a day after his conviction in a defamation case as well as claims that the Opposition was not getting a chance to raise the Adani issue.
However, it needs the backing of at least 50 members to move a no-confidence motion against the speaker.
It is important to note that for the no-confidence motion to be moved, it requires the functioning of the House.