Kawardha (Chhattisgarh) [India], October 7 (ANI): Chhattisgarh Deputy Chief Minister Vijay Sharma on Wednesday termed the detention of Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi, Congress MP Priyanka Gandhi Vadra and other opposition leaders a "normal procedure", stressing that arrests are part of the process during protests.
Speaking to ANI, Sharma reacted to the detention of Rahul Gandhi, Priyanka Gandhi and several other opposition leaders who were protesting, and said, "These are normal procedures. When protests take place, arrests are made as part of the process. The same procedure has been followed here. This happens with all workers, so what is the big deal if it happened with them?"
The detention came after INDIA bloc leaders and MPs attempted to march from Parliament towards the Election Commission headquarters, Nirvachan Sadan, on October 6, demanding the resignation of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar and raising concerns over the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls.
On Rahul Gandhi's statement that not a single "traitor" would be spared, Sharma hit back at the Congress leader and asked him to look at his own party members.
"He should think about himself and his party members. He should think about those who consider him their ideal and those who seek to create anarchy in the country. He should think about Chidambaram, who had said, 'We are not asking you to lay down your arms.' Pawan Khera and many other leaders have spoken in the context of treason. He should think about them," Sharma said.
Taking a swipe at the Opposition over its allegations against the Election Commission, the Deputy Chief Minister said opposition parties should "look within themselves", alleging that whenever they lose elections, they blame the SIR, EVMs or the Election Commission.
"I say they should look within themselves. Wherever they form a government, they go there, wear new clothes and take an oath. Wherever they lose, there is SIR, there is a problem with EVMs, and the Election Commission is blamed for irregularities. They make such statements. They should look within themselves; otherwise they should resign from the governments where they are in power," he said.
Earlier on Tuesday, Opposition MPs were stopped by barricades from entering Nirvachan Sadan, following which several leaders, including Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi, Congress MP Priyanka Gandhi Vadra and Congress general secretary KC Venugopal, staged a sit-in at the nearby Akashvani Bhavan, around 100 metres from the poll panel's office.
Following the protest, Rahul and Priyanka Gandhi, along with several other leaders, were detained by Delhi Police from Akashvani Bhavan, where they staged a dharna against CEC Gyanesh Kumar. Congress MPs Pawan Khera, KC Venugopal and Amrinder Singh Raja Warring were among those detained by Delhi Police. (ANI)
Chhattisgarh Deputy CM calls Rahul Gandhi's detention 'normal procedure', slams Opposition over EC allegations
