New Delhi:
Congress general secretary Priyanka Gandhi is holding a 'symbolic' protest against police crackdown on students in different parts of the country while they were holding protest against Citizenship Amendment Act. Gandhi is expected to protest for two hours. Several Congress leaders like Ragini Naik, PL Punia, AK Antony, KC Venugopal, Sushmita Dev, and Gulab Nabi Azad are present with her.
"Registering my peaceful protest against brutal crackdown on students," Gandhi posted on Facebook. Earlier, the Congress leader said that the atmosphere in the country has become "bad", as she cited Delhi Police action against Jamia university students to hit out at the Union government.
#WATCH | Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi Vadra sits on a dharna at Delhi's India Gate "against brutal crackdown on students"@priyankagandhi #CAAProtests #JamiaProtests
— News Nation (@NewsNationTV) December 16, 2019
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"The country's atmosphere is bad. Police is entering university to beat up (students). The government has tinkered with the Constitution. We will fight for the Constitution," she said.
Her remarks came amid protests in different parts of the country against the amended Citizenship Act.
Congress spokesperson Randeep Singh Surjewala said the Priyanka Gandhi and other party leaders will observe a symbolic protest against attack on rights of youth.
"This is a government that has attacked the rights of youths and students of the country. That is why, Priyanka Gandhi Vadra and other senior Congress leaders have decided to sit on a symbolic protest at the India Gate from 4 pm, for the next 2 hours," Surjewala said.
She accused the Modi government on Sunday of being 'cowardly' as it feared to hear the voice of people and was making its presence felt through 'oppression' on students and journalists.
In a tweet late on Sunday night, she said Prime Minister Narendra Modi will have to listen to the voice of the youth sooner than later as his government was trying to suppress their voice and courage with its “hollow dictatorship”.
“Students are being beaten by sneaking into universities of the country. At a time when the government should listen to the people, the BJP government that time is making its presence felt in the North East, Uttar Pradesh and Delhi through oppression on students and journalists. This government is cowardly,” the Congress general secretary said, using the hashtag “Shame”.
