(File photo)Ahead of the Congress protest against the questioning of party chief Sonia Gandhi by the Enforcement Directorate in the New Delhi district, the Delhi Police restricted the movement of vehicles in the area and barricaded streets to prevent a rally.
The ED will be questioning Sonia Gandhi in connection with an alleged money laundering case related to the National Herald newspaper.
Congress leaders and All India Congress Committee members are staging a protest outside the AICC Headquarters on Akbar Road.
The police have also increased deployment in the area as part of their “special arrangements” for the protest. Local staff along with paramilitary forces have been deployed on all roads in the area. The Delhi Police said that Section 144 has already been imposed in the New Delhi district due to the security arrangements of the Parliament session.
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The protest or rally will affect the traffic and security arrangements, said the police.
Amrutha Guguloth, DCP (New Delhi) said, “Section 144 has been imposed in the area for a long time now.”
The Traffic Police posted tweets asking commuters to avoid using Gol Methi junction, Tughlak Road junction, Claridge’s junction, Sunehri Masjid junction, Maulana Azad road junction and Man Singh Road junction on Thursday from 9 am to 2 pm.
Senior officers said that there will be heavy traffic movement on these roads due to arrangements.
“AICC office and surrounding area—Gol Dak Khana Junction, Patel Chowk, Windsor Place, Teen Murti Chowk, Prithviraj Road, Motilal Nehru Marg, Akbar Road, Janpath, and Man Singh Road—have been heavily barricaded. Movement of buses will be restricted beyond Patel Chowk,” said an officer.
Few Congress leaders alleged that the police were not allowing media persons to enter the party office and cover the protest. AICC members said there was a press conference at their office followed by a protest where media persons weren’t allowed.
Jairam Ramesh, Congress Member of Parliament, said in a tweet, “From the early hours of this morning, the Delhi Police—obviously taking orders from the Union Home Minister—is preventing the media from entering the Congress party headquarters. This high-handedness was only to be expected and reflects the mindset of the Modi Sarkar.”
However, the Delhi Police denied the allegations as DCP Guguloth said the media is allowed at Akbar Road.
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