Congress MPs meet Birla, Naidu over their 'ill-treatment' by police during Delhi protests

New Delhi, Jun 16 (PTI) Congress MPs Thursday met the Lok Sabha Speaker and the Rajya Sabha Chairman and raised the issue of alleged ill-treatment of party lawmakers, including some women, by the Delhi Police during their protests in the national capital against Rahul Gandhi's questioning by the Enforcement Directorate. Congress leaders and MPs have been staging demonstrations against their former president's questioning by the ED in a money-laundering case pertaining to the National Herald newspaper.

The delegation that met LS Speaker Om Birla was led by the party's leader in Lok Sabha Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury. He narrated how some party MPs, including Karur Lok Sabha MP Jothimani, were allegedly dragged by the Delhi Police and that her clothes "were torn".

They alleged that while protesting outside the Congress office, she was forcibly taken away by the police personnel on Wednesday to a police station.

"We met the Speaker and raised the issue of the manner in which our MPs and leaders were treated by the Delhi police and sought action against the accused police officers,” Chowdhury told reporters after the meeting.

He said the MPs only stood in solidarity with their leader and wanted to accompany him till the ED office peacefully, but were instead "beaten up" and prevented by the cops.

Chowdhury also rubbished as "plants by the ED and the BJP government", reports that Gandhi allegedly put the blame on former Congress treasurer Motilal Vora for any wrongdoing in the National Herald case. "These are only plants." Chowdhury was accompanied by chief whip of the party K Suresh, the party's whip in Lok Sabha Manickam Tagore and other MPs including Gurjit Aujla. A separate delegation of Congress’ Rajya Sabha MPs met Chairman Venkaiah Naidu at his residence and brought to his notice the "violations of privileges" of MPs by the Delhi Police.

The delegation was led by Leader of Opposition Mallikarjun Kharge and had senior Congress leaders such as P Chidambaram, Jairam Ramesh and KC Venugopal.

Top Congress leaders also held a meeting of party general secretaries and in-charges to decide on their response to the police action against Congress leaders.

"A meeting of AICC General Secretaries, In-Charges, MPs and Senior Leaders present in Delhi was held today at AICC headquarters to discuss the plan of action against the police atrocities in AICC yesterday and the brutal crackdown on Congress leaders and further course of actions," AICC general secretary K C Venugopal said on Twitter.

The Congress has accused the Delhi police of violating the privileges of MPs during protests against the ED and the Modi government.

The party has also accused the Delhi Police of criminal trespass by entering the AICC office and beating up its leaders, a charge denied by the force.

The party has lodged a written complaint for registration of an FIR against the erring staff and demanded their suspension.

A complaint in this regard was lodged with Tughlaq Road police station highlighting the police crackdown and high-handedness against them. The Congress is Thursday staging a gherao of all Raj Bhawans across the country against the police action and "brutalities" against Congress workers and leaders.