(Eds: Adding quotes) New Delhi, Jul 26 (PTI) Congress leader Rahul Gandhi and several other party MPs were detained by police at Vijay Chowk here on Tuesday after they staged a protest against Sonia Gandhi's questioning by the Enforcement Directorate.
The former Congress president and the MPs had gathered at the Vijay Chowk to march towards the Rashtrapati Bhavan to draw the President's attention to the alleged misuse of central agencies by the government, but were stopped by the police.
Mr. Gandhi was put in a police bus but officials did not disclose where he was being taken. Other Congress MPs were detained and taken away in separate police buses.
"India is a police state, Modi is a king," Mr. Gandhi alleged.
He said discussions were not being allowed in Parliament.
Congress MPs including Rahul Gandhi during a sit in protest at Vijay Chowk. | Photo Credit: SHIV KUMAR PUSHPAKAR
"I am not going anywhere. We wanted to go towards the President's house. But the police are not allowing us," Mr. Gandhi said.
"All Congress MPs stopped at Vijay Chowk and prevented from marching to Rashtrapati Bhavan. Forcibly arrested. Now we are in police buses being taken to a place only PM and HM know where…," Congress Rajya Sabha MP Jairam Ramesh tweeted.
"The Delhi Police harassed us. They have taken almost all the 75 MPs under detention and are taking them to unknown places," said Manickam Tagore.
Ernakulam MP Hibi Eden said, "We were holding a peaceful protest to give a petition to the President of India, but were attacked by the police. All the MPs, including Rahul Gandhi, have been arrested and taken to police stations." The Congress MPs met earlier in the Parliament complex to decide on a strategy as party chief Sonia Gandhi appeared before the ED for questioning in a money laundering case pertaining to the National Herald newspaper, for the second time.
They also staged a protest in front of Mahatma Gandhi's statue in the complex.
AICC general secretary Ajay Maken claimed they were denied permission to organise a satyagraha outside Rajghat, the memorial of Mahatma Gandhi.
Mr. Gandhi was also questioned by the ED in the same case last month in sessions that clocked more than 50 hours over five days.
