New Delhi| Hundreds of party workers are protesting at various places in the national capital over the Enforcement Directorate (ED) summoning interim Congress president Sonia Gandhi on Thursday. Delhi Police used water cannons to disperse the protesters who had gathered outside the party headquarters at 24, Akbar Road, who were trying to cross the barricades put up by the police.
Former Union Minister P. Chidambaram said that his party is opposing the ED’s summons to Sonia Gandhi. “The AJL-Young India transaction has been recorded in the books of account, returns filed by both the companies and income tax returns. Whatever the ED wants to know can be found in the records,” he said.
He further said that the matter of income tax is pending before the Supreme Court. Chidambaram said, “The ED is not bigger than the Supreme Court. What is it that the ED wants to ‘investigate’ and which cannot be probed by the Supreme Court?” He further said that the ED is working above the Supreme Court and is trying to intimidate the Congress party, but the Congress party will not bow down to any kind of intimidation.
Congress party workers were seen pushing the barricades during the protest.
Meanwhile, as a preventive action, the police have arrested Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot, former Union Minister P. Chidambaram, Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury, Sachin Pilot, Ajay Maken, Deepender Hooda, IYC President B. Several other party leaders including Srinivas were taken into custody.
Party leaders alleged that the police were not even allowing them to protest against the government and were continuously harassing them.
The detained party leaders were taken to Utsav Sadan at Kingsway Camp Police Lines.
