Congress workers try to barge into BJP office in Mandya, detained

They were protesting against Union government for using Enforcement Directorate to 'harass' Congress national leaders Sonia Gandhi, Rahul Gandhi in National Herald case

Mandya: Alleging that the Union government is using the Enforcement Directorate (ED) to harass Congress national leaders Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi in connection with the National Herald case, Mandya district Congress workers tried to barge into the district BJP office here on Thursday.

The Congress workers gathered near Jayachamaraja Circle in Mandya and tried to enter the BJP office. When they tried to push away the barricades erected near the office, the police detained the workers and took them to the Parade Grounds.

There were heated arguments between police personnel and the protesters at the venue. The party workers raised slogans against the Union government and Prime Minister Narendra Modi and expressed their outrage. Tension prevailed for a while at the spot. However, the police intervened and brought the situation under control.

District Congress working president M S Chidambar, MUDA chairman B P Prakash and others were taken into custody by the police. They were taken to the Parade Grounds in the police vehicle. They were released later.

Prakash alleged that the Union government was targeting the Congress leaders and trying to send them to jail. It has been misusing the ED and the CBI. The Congress leaders would not bow to them. A Statewide protest was being held condemning the allegations levelled against Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi, he said.

“The attempt to implicate the Congress leaders in the National Herald case has failed. Our leaders have won. It has been proved that the case is illegal. The BJP should immediately apologise,” he said.