Panaji, Jul 22 (PTI) Congress leaders in Goa on Wednesday condemned the detention of Rahul Gandhi, calling it an “assault on democratic values”, and submitted a memorandum to Governor P Ashok Ganapathy Raju seeking action against those responsible for the alleged crackdown on protesting students.
Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi, party MP Priyanka Gandhi Vadra and Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav were forcibly removed by police on Tuesday after they staged a dharna outside the Prime Minister’s residence in Delhi, demanding his resignation. They were released after a few hours.
A five-member delegation led by Goa Pradesh Congress Committee (GPCC) president Girish Chodankar, along with working presidents M K Shaikh, Carlos Alvares Ferreira and Sunil Kawthankar, and state Youth Congress president Archit Naik, met the governor at the Lok Bhavan and submitted the memorandum.
They alleged that Gandhi was detained while he was peacefully expressing solidarity with students protesting against the Centre’s handling of the education system.
The memorandum described Gandhi’s detention as an “assault on democratic values, freedom of expression and the constitutional role of the Opposition”.
The party also referred to the alleged use of force against protesting students on July 20, claiming that the incident had shocked the conscience of the nation.
The GPCC urged the governor to forward the memorandum of its demands to President Droupadi Murmu and the Union government.
Among its demands, the Congress sought the resignation of Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan, alleging failure to safeguard students’ interests and address issues in the education and examination system.
The party also demanded the resignation of Union Home Minister Amit Shah, holding him accountable for the law-and-order machinery that “detained democratic leaders and suppressed peaceful student protests”.
The memorandum called for an impartial inquiry into the alleged use of force against students, withdrawal of criminal cases against students who participated in peaceful protests, and a discussion on the issue in both Houses of Parliament.
The Congress further demanded that the PM issue an unconditional public apology to students and initiate comprehensive reforms in the education and examination systems to ensure transparency, accountability and fairness.
The GPCC said it remained committed to protecting constitutional values and democratic rights and would continue to support students in their pursuit of justice and a transparent education system.
Protesters of the Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) continued their sit-in at Jantar Mantar in New Delhi on Wednesday as the agitation over alleged irregularities in competitive examinations entered its second month. PTI RPS NP
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