Ahmedabad: Dozens of senior Congress leaders and workers, including Gujarat Congress President Shaktisinh Gohil, were detained by police on Saturday in Ahmedabad during a protest against the central government's freezing of the bank accounts of the Congress party and the Youth Congress by the Income Tax department.
The protest began with hundreds of Congress workers gathering at the Income Tax circle in Ahmedabad, carrying placards and chanting slogans against the Modi government. They accused the government of using the Income Tax department as a tool to silence the opposition and stifle dissent.
Protesters including women were forcefully detained
However, their demonstration was met with a heavy police presence. Roadblocks were erected, and protesters, including women, were forcibly detained. The situation escalated when Congress workers, including Gohil, tried to resist arrest, leading to a minor scuffle with the police.
"The Congress party is playing the role of a responsible opposition, raising the voice of the people against rising unemployment, inflation, and the plight of farmers and small businesses," said Gohil before being detained. "This account freeze is an attempt to silence our voice and suppress democracy. But the people are watching, and they will judge this action in the court of public opinion."
The Congress party has called the account freeze politically motivated and accused the government of misusing its power to target its opponents. They have vowed to continue their protests and challenge the action legally.
