Maha Cong flays Delhi police action at AICC office, backs Rahul; to hold protests

We will not bow down or get scared, he asserted.Patole accused the BJP-led government at the Centre of showing arrogance of power in dealing with political opponents.Congress leader and PWD Minister Ashok Chavan, who was also present at the press conference, demanded a judicial probe into the Delhi police action at the AICC headquarters.Can Section 144 be applicable in an office

The Congress in Maharashtra on Wednesday condemned the Delhi police action at the AICC headquarters and claimed its leader Rahul Gandhi was being implicated in a ''false'' case as the party announced a two-day protest programme, including a dharna outside the Raj Bhavan in Mumbai, over the twin episodes.

Gandhi on Wednesday appeared before the Enforcement Directorate (ED) in New Delhi on the third straight day of questioning in the National Herald money laundering case.

The Maharashtra Congress will hold a dharna (sit-in) outside the Raj Bhavan in south Mumbai on Thursday to condemn the Delhi police action at the AICC headquarters and to protest attempts to implicate Gandhi in a ''false'' case, the party's state unit president, Nana Patole, said.

The Congress has alleged that some Delhi police personnel forcibly entered its headquarters and beat up party workers and leaders on Wednesday as the party staged protests against the questioning of Gandhi by the ED.

Addressing a press conference here, Patole said apart from the sit-in at the Raj Bhavan and handing over a memorandum to Governor Bhagat Singh Koshyari, the state unit will also hold demonstrations at the district level on Friday.

He said the party, a constituent of the ruling Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) in Maharashtra, has decided to stand by its leadership at a time when the Modi government was trying to ''silence'' its former president.

''It is Rahul Gandhi who had been at the forefront of highlighting the wrong policies of the central government and this is why attempts are being made to silence him,'' Patole said.

The MPCC president maintained the Congress will fight the ''dictatorial'' approach of the Modi government in a democratic way. ''We will not bow down or get scared,'' he asserted.

Patole accused the BJP-led government at the Centre of showing arrogance of power in dealing with political opponents.

Congress leader and PWD Minister Ashok Chavan, who was also present at the press conference, demanded a judicial probe into the Delhi police action at the AICC headquarters.

''Can Section 144 be applicable in an office? (a reference to curbs imposed outside AICC headquarters in Delhi). I demand a judicial probe into matter,'' Chavan said.

Patole, Chavan and state ministers Varsha Gaikwad, Amit Deshmukh and Balasaheb Thorat led party workers in staging a dharna outside the Congress office in South Mumbai. PTI MR RSY RSY