Congress Protest Postponed To Monday After Delhi Police Denies Permission For Dharna At Rajghat

Amid nationwide agitations against the Citizenship (Amendment) Act, the Congress, led by party chief Sonia Gandhi, will stage a silent protest at Rajghat on Monday. Top leaders of the party including its former president Rahul Gandhi and its General Secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra are likely to participate in the 'satyagraha dharna'. Earlier, the protest was scheduled to be held on Sunday but it was postponed for a day after Delhi police denied permission to hold the dharna.

"Congress Party senior leaders will undertake a satyagrah at Mahatma Gandhi’s Samadhi at Raj Ghat, day after tomorrow, December 23, 2019, from 3 PM to 8PM," said a statement by AICC General Secretary KC Venugopal.

"In line with the path of non violent, yet consistent and unequivocal opposition shown by the Father of the Nation, the Party's satyagrah will fight against this dictatorial Government and to protect Baba Saheb’s sacred Constitution," it said.

"There have been widespread resentment against the recent actions of the BJP Government, amongst people across the country- especially amongst youth demanding the restoration and maintaining the sanctity of rights guaranteed by our Constitution."

"The dictatorial and stubborn BJP Government at the Centre and in different States has used indiscriminate police force against ordinary citizen in the name of maintaining law and order. This has led to further worsening and spiralling of the situation and the Congress Party is committed to upholding the principles enshrined in the Constitution and fight for the continuation, maintainance and safeguard of the rights of all, as enshrined and guaranteed by our founding fathers," the statement added.

The decision to hold the silent protest was taken at a meeting of top party leaders at Sonia Gandhi's residence on Saturday evening.

The Congress is up against the government for using "brute" force against "silent and peaceful" protesters across the country and for "stopping" people from holding demonstrations against the new citizenship law and the National Register of Citizens (NRC), proposed to be imposed across the country.