Congress workers in Manipur confronted the police when the latter prevented them from carrying out a protest rally in Imphal on July 21.
A large number of Congress workers led by Manipur Pradesh Congress Committee (MPCC) president, K Meghachandra carried out the protest rally against repeated summoning of AICC leaders – Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi – by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) in connection with the National Herald money laundering case.
The protest kicked off from Congress Bhavan and marched toward the Raj Bhavan. The police, however, prevented them from proceeding further in front of Western Gate of the Kangla Fort.
A confrontation broke out as the protesters tried to breach the police restriction and tried to proceed further.
After a brief tussle, the police forced the protesters back to Congress Bhavan where the Congress workers staged a protest blocking BT Road.
There too, the slogan shouting protesters confronted the police. No injury was reported on both sides during the confrontation.
Congress leader Sonia Gandhi, who appeared before the Enforcement Directorate on July 21 in connection with an alleged money laundering case linked to the National Herald paper, left the agency’s office after three hours of questioning.
Talking to reporters, MPCC president K Meghachandra alleged that the BJP-led NDA government at the Centre is using ED as a tool to defame opposition leaders.
“Summoning the Congress leaders repeatedly is nothing but to defame them,” the MPCC president said while alleging that the ruling BJP uses many autonomous Central agencies and constitutional bodies to target the opposition parties, particularly the Congress.
The officials of the ED and other agencies are being used by the BJP government to take political mileage, he also said.
