Bhopal (Madhya Pradesh): Following the arrest of Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi by the Delhi Police, Congress MLAs staged a sit-in on the Assembly premises while the party's state leadership protested outside Lok Bhawan here on Tuesday.
The MLAs led by Leader of Opposition Umang Singhar staged a protest outside the Chief Minister's office in the Assembly while Congress leaders led by state party president Jitu Patwari demonstrated outside Lok Bhawan.
The party leaders demanded the immediate release of Rahul Gandhi and other Congress leaders arrested by the police.
The Congress MLAs led by Singhar sought a discussion on the lathi charge on students protesting over the paper leak issue at Delhi's Jantar Mantar on Monday.
Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kailash Vijayvargiya objected, saying the matter was not related to Madhya Pradesh and was not appropriate for discussion in the state Assembly.
After the Speaker did not permit the discussion, Congress MLAs walked out and staged a dharna outside the Chief Minister's office on the Assembly premises.
They raised slogans against the BJP-led Centre and demanded the resignation of Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan.
Vijayvargiya reached the protest site and appealed to the MLAs to end the demonstration, but they did not pay heed to his appeal.
Patwari told reporters that the Delhi Police had beaten students protesting against the paper leak and said the party would continue its protest until the Congress leaders were released.
