Rahul Gandhi's disqualification: Mashal Julus stopped by Delhi police, several leaders detained

Thousands of Congress activists and over 90 leaders were detained by the Delhi police on Tuesday evening near the historic Red Fort, when they tried to carry out Mashal Juslus (torch rally), protesting Rahul Gandhi's disqualification from Lok Sabha.

"PM Modi and Shah should know, we will not step back from our fight. Bring it on!," said Congress general secretrary (organization) KC Venugopal after the detention.

"Delhi Police are stopping us from taking out the 'Loktantra Bachao Mashal Shanti March' from the Red Fort, and not allowing us to reach the venue! However, this has not deterred us, and we have begun our march from the police barricades itself," Congress General Secretary K.C. Venugopal tweeted.

Deputy Commissioner of Police (North), Sagar Singh Kalsi said as many as 96 people, including former Uttarakhand Chief Minister Harish Rawat, ex-MP J.P. Aggarwal, T.N. Prathapan, Deen Kuriakorse and Shakti Singh Gohil were detained by the police.

All the detainees were later released and the situation is normal now, the DCP said. The protest was organised by the party against the alleged "authoritarian and autocratic" rule of the Narendra Modi-led government at the Centre.

Youth Congress head Srinivas BV, however accused that Delhi police detained Congress MPs without any FIR, and they were not released untill 10 pm in the night.

Organized by the Delhi Pradesh Youth Congress (DPYC) "Mashal Juslus" was part of the party's month-long campaign includes press conferences by national-level Leaders in 35 major cities. The party has also announced Jai Bharat Satyagraha at district and state levels and Jai Bharat Maha Satyagraha at the national level.

The Julus (rally) was organized to show solidarity with Rahul Gandhi who was disqualified from his Lok Sabha seat after being convicted in a criminal defamation case.

The rally was attended by youth congress workers, who were holding torches and raising slogans in support of Gandhi. They also carried posters and banners with messages like "We Stand with Rahul Gandhi" and "Justice for Rahul Gandhi".

Without naming Modi, Congress attacked him saying, "Look at the 'dictator'! How feared he is! He gets mic muted in Parliament and deploy police on the streets to prevent any protest."