Congress leaders in Sirsa on Wednesday alleged that the police detained several party functionaries ahead of their planned visit to Delhi to participate in a protest at Jantar Mantar over education and student-related issues.
District Congress president Santosh Beniwal claimed she was taken into custody from her residence in Darba Kalan village early on Wednesday morning while preparing to leave for Delhi. She alleged that police personnel surrounded her house and prevented her from joining the protest.
Speaking after her detention, Beniwal accused the government of suppressing democratic voices. She said she was travelling to support students and raise issues related to education and their rights. She further alleged that the Centre was trying to silence those speaking on behalf of the public.
In Dabwali, police also detained several Youth Congress leaders who were reportedly preparing to leave for Delhi late on Tuesday night. Congress leader Jagga Singh Brar said police vehicles reached his residence around midnight and detained councillor Samandeep Brar, former constituency president Shagan Brar, Bhupinder Singh Bunty, Vicky Bhati and other party workers.
He shared videos of the police action on social media, claiming that seven Congress workers were either taken into custody or placed under house arrest. Brar said he had informed Congress MP Kumari Selja about the incident.
Meanwhile, the Jannayak Janta Party (JJP) and its student wing, INSO, staged a protest in Sirsa against the alleged lathi-charge on students and youths during the Jantar Mantar demonstration. Party leaders marched to the Mini Secretariat and submitted a memorandum, addressed to the Prime Minister, through the Deputy Commissioner.
JJP leaders, including district president Ashok Verma, national general secretary Radheshyam Sharma, youth in-charge Shantanu Godara, youth district president Rajindra Suthar and INSO district president Dheer Singh Gill, demanded a high-level inquiry into the incident, strict action against the policemen responsible, medical assistance and compensation for the injured, and safeguards to ensure that peaceful protesters are not subjected to force in future.