Over 250 Congress leaders held in Chhattisgarh

RAIPUR - Chhattisgarh Congress president Dhanendra Sahu and Leader of Opposition Ravindra Choubey were among the 250 Congress leaders arrested here Friday for protesting against former Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) chief K.S. Sudarshan’s derogatory remarks against their party president Sonia Gandhi.

The arrests were made when Sahu, Choubey and several senior Congress leaders defied police prohibitions and marched towards the Governor house to press their demand for arrest of the former RSS chief.

The arrested Congress leaders were kept at a makeshift jail. The Congressmen alleged that the state’s ruling Bharatiya Janata Party had ordered policemen to assault peaceful protesters. Congress workers were thrashed by the police across the state when they tried to burn Sudarshan’s effigies.

The Congress leadership in the state has announced it would step up protests against the former RSS boss till he is arrested or offers an apology to Gandhi.