Rahul says 'no democracy' in India as Priyanka is detained during march to Rashtrapati Bhavan

Congress general secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra and other Congress leaders on Thursday were detained by the Delhi Police as they marched to the Rashtrapati Bhawan to submit a memorandum ‘signed by of 2 crore farmers’ against the Centre’s farm laws.

The police said the Congress leaders had no permission to march and thus were detained.

However, Rahul Gandhi, Ghulam Nabi Azad and Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury, the three leaders who had reportedly taken the President’s appointment, met President Kovind and reiterated the demand of withdrawing the farm laws.

Soon after Priyanka’s detention, a livid Rahul slammed the Centre over the farm protests and said there was ‘no democracy’ in India and those who stood up against the prime minister were labelled terrorists, ‘even if it was (RSS chief) Mohan Bhagwat’.

"PM Modi is making money for the crony capitalists. Whoever will try to stand against him will be called a terrorist - be it farmers, labourers and even Mohan Bhagwat," the Congress leader said.

"There is no democracy in India. If you think there is, it's in your imagination".

"Any dissent against this government is classified as having elements of terror. We are undertaking this march to voice our support for the farmers," an upset Priyanka Gandhi, too, slammed the government.

“I told the President that these farm laws are anti-farmer. The country has seen that the farmers have stood up against these laws,” Rahul Gandhi told the media after the meeting.

“I want to tell the prime minister that these farmers are not going to go back home until these farm laws are repealed. The government should convene a joint session of Parliament and take back these laws. Opposition parties stand with farmers and labourers,” he stated.

He added: “PM Modi is making money for the crony capitalists. Whoever will try to stand against him will be called terrorist - be it farmers, labourers and even Mohan Bhagwat. There is no democracy in India. It can be in your imagination, but not in reality.”

Priyanka

As the march was stopped, Priyanka Gandhi said, "Any dissent against this government is classified as having elements of terror. We are undertaking this march to voice our support for the farmers."

देश की जनता की आवाज को सुनना ही एक नेता का काम होता है, सरकार का काम होता है। सरकार जनता के प्रति जवाबदेह है, किसानों के प्रति जवाबदेह है। हमारे जवान भी किसानों के ही बेटे हैं; उनके माता-पिता की आवाज सुनी जानी चाहिए।#CongressMarchForFarmers pic.twitter.com/4hE8hBCXxI

— Congress (@INCIndia) December 24, 2020

Delhi Police take Priyanka Gandhi and other Congress leaders into custody.

They were taking out a march to Rashtrapati Bhavan to submit to the President a memorandum containing 2 crore signatures seeking his intervention in farm laws issue. https://t.co/YHBbXmF8nC pic.twitter.com/SBB8BwyJ1P

— ANI (@ANI) December 24, 2020

Additional DCP (New Delhi) Deepak Yadav on Thursday had earlier said that no permission has been granted for Congress's march to Rashtrapati Bhavan.

“However, three leaders, who have appointment at Rashtrapati Bhavan, will be allowed to go,” he had said.

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