Congress targets Delhi Police, Centre over FIR against leaders

New Delhi, August 11

The Congress on Tuesday lashed out at the Delhi Police and the BJP government at the Centre over an FIR filed against its leaders for allegedly violating social distancing norm during an event to mark the 78th anniversary of the Quit India Movement.

The event was attended by the Congress’s Delhi unit president Anil Chaudhary and former MP J P Agarwal, among others.

The Narendra Modi government “behaved like the British rulers in trying to crush the voice of freedom and democracy by filing FIRs against the Congress leaders for hoisting the national flag at Hauz Qazi Chowk, Chandni Chowk, to mark the 78th anniversary of the Quit India Movement”, Chaudhary said in a press conference.

Delhi BJP spokesperson Harish Khurana hit back at him, saying the Congress was playing the “victim card”.

“If you break the law, hold an event without prior permission and violate social distancing at the time of pandemic, you will be booked. Same happened with Congress leaders although they are now talking about democracy and freedom,” Khurana said.

The Delhi Police, which comes under the central government, registered a case at the Hauz Qazi Police station for the event under IPC sections 188 (disobedience to order duly promulgated by public servant), 269 (negligent act likely to spread infection of disease dangerous to life) and 34 (acts done by several persons in furtherance of common intention).

“They applied for the permission of the programme, but it was denied. Despite not having the permission, they organised the event and violated the social distancing norm in view of the ongoing COVID-19 situation,” according to the FIR. 

Chaudhary also alleged that Delhi Police used different yardsticks in dealing with the Congress and the ruling parties—the BJP at the Centre and the AAP in Delhi.

He said that it was a “shocking experience” for the Congress leaders when the FIR was filed against them for hoisting the national flag.

“BJP held a ‘Bijli Jan Andolan’ demonstration in violation of all lockdown guidelines, but the police did not file any FIR,” said Agarwal.

A senior Delhi Police officer denied the charge.

“We take action as per the law. There is action against anyone who breaks the law without any discrimination,” he said. PTI

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