Congress to hold 'satyagraha' against Sonia Gandhi's questioning by ED

The Congress said it will stage a 'satyagraha' all over the country to protest the Enforcement Directorate's summons to party President Sonia Gandhi in the money laundering case.

The Congress on Tuesday said it will stage a 'satyagraha' all over the country to protest the Enforcement Directorate's summons to party President Sonia Gandhi in the money laundering case linked to the National Herald newspaper.

Gandhi has appeared before the ED for questioning for the second time on Tuesday.

Congress MPs met at the office of Leader of Opposition Mallikarjun Kharge in Parliament premises and are likely to stage a march towards the ED office to protest the questioning.

AICC general secretary Ajay Maken claimed they have been denied permission to organise a satyagraha outside Rajghat, the memorial of Mahatma Gandhi.

"It is very unfortunate that the Government of India has refused to give permission to us to stage a satyagraha. It is the same BJP which organised a protest on June 5, 2015 in support of Baba Ramdev in 2005," Maken said.

"If the principal opposition party in the country is not allowed to stage a satyagraha, then it amounts of murder of democracy. Where will democracy survive," Maken told reporters.

Democracy comprises both the ruling party and the opposition and how will democracy survive if one of its wheels is "disallowed" to stage a protest at Rajghat, he asked.

"This work is being done with political vendetta in mind against the opposition party and our leaders are being harassed only with this objective," Maken charged.

He also alleged that their right to stage a satyagraha is being denied, and their members were not allowed entry into their own office.