Raipur, Jul 21 (PTI) Chhattisgarh Congress leaders and workers on Tuesday night staged a protest outside the Lok Bhavan here against the detention of party president Mallikarjun Kharge, MP Rahul Gandhi and other leaders in New Delhi during a dharna over alleged examination irregularities.
The Opposition party’s demonstration, which also saw a scuffle between protesters and police, was held near the Lok Bhavan gate in the Civil Lines area of Raipur.
The agitating Congress leaders and workers demanded the resignation of Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan and withdrawal of police cases registered against students and youths who participated in the ‘Sansad Chalo’ march in the national capital on Monday.
As Congress workers attempted to march towards the Lok Bhavan raising slogans against the Centre, police stopped them near the gate.
A brief scuffle broke out between protesters and police as some Congress workers tried to move past the barricades. Police later brought the situation under control and prevented the demonstrators from proceeding further.
The protesters subsequently staged a sit-in on the road and held a ‘bhajan-kirtan’ programme (singing of devotional songs) as a mark of protest.
A heavy police deployment was made in the area to maintain law and order.
Former Raipur mayor and Congress leader Aijaz Dhebar alleged that several students had died by suicide due to the NEET paper leak and questioned the use of force against protesting pupils in New Delhi.
“The NEET paper leak is an issue concerning students’ future. Wherever public interest is involved, the Congress will stand with people. Who is responsible for the lathi-charge on students in Delhi on Monday?” Dhebar asked while talking to reporters.
Raipur Rural Congress president Pappu Banjare alleged that repeated paper leaks were destroying the aspirations of the country’s youth and claimed Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi was detained for raising the issue.
Congress leaders demanded the resignation of Pradhan and also Prime Minister Narendra Modi and asserted the party would continue its agitation till justice was delivered to students.
They also sought a full discussion in Parliament on examination irregularities and the government’s alleged failure to protect students’ interests, and the withdrawal of all FIRs registered against students over the Delhi protest.
In a statement, the Chhattisgarh Pradesh Congress Committee announced said it will hold demonstrations and burn effigies of the PM in all district headquarters across the state on Wednesday to protest the detention of Kharge, Rahul, Priyanka Gandhi Vadra and other Congress leaders.
Rahul, Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, Kharge and several other senior leaders sat on a dharna outside PM Modi’s residence, 7, Lok Kalyan Marg, on Tuesday and demanded his resignation over the police action against students protesting on the NEET paper leak issue. The Delhi Police detained and later released them. PTI TKP RSY
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