18 MPs among 197 detained during Cong protest: Delhi Police

New Delhi, June 21 (IANS) As many as 197 Congress workers, including 18 Members of Parliament, were on Tuesday detained during the Congress' protest in the national capital, a police official said.

Delhi Special Commissioner of Police (CP), Law and Order, Sagar Preet Hooda said a request was received from the All India Congress Committee (AICC) Secretary for seeking permission to hold a 'Satyagraha' at the Jantar Mantar.

The programme was to be held against the Agnipath scheme and the summoning of former Congress President Rahul Gandhi by the Enforcement Directorate (ED).

Therefore, a permission was granted for gathering up to 1,000 party workers with certain conditions and adequate law and order arrangement was put in place at the Jantar Mantar to avert any untoward incident.

However, instead of holding the protest at Jantar Mantar, the protestors assembled at AICC headquarters, 24 Akbar Road, and marched out in the form of a procession in violation of the prohibitory orders promulgated under section 144 of the CrPC in force, the official added.

"A total 197 party workers and leaders, including 18 Members of Parliament, were detained under section 65 of the Delhi Police Act," the Special CP added.

During the protest, a video of All India Mahila Congress President Netta D'Souza, spitting on police personnel while she was being detained, went viral on social media.

Hooda said that a criminal case is being registered under appropriate sections of law against D'Souza for obstructing and assaulting the police personnel.

The Delhi Special CP also mentioned another incident in which around a dozen people suddenly reached before the residence of BJP National President J.P. Nadda and raised slogans against the recently unveiled Agnipath scheme of Armed Forces.

"These protestors were carrying a long stick with some inflammable material which they later set on fire and placed it on the entrance gate of the house," the senior police official said.

The police immediately swung into action and thwarted an attempt of arson.

"Suitable legal action is being taken against those mischievous elements," he added.

The Congress has been for the past five days vociferously protesting against the summoning of Rahul Gandhi by the ED and also against recently introduced Agnipath scheme.

The Agnipath scheme, termed as a historic and transformative measure by the Union government, has met unprecedented levels of agitations and protests in several states across India.

The protestors in several states have been targeting trains and have torched several of them in the past few days.

Meanwhile, Rahul Gandhi was questioned for nearly nine hours in connection with the National Herald case. He left the ED headquarters at around 8 p.m. on Tuesday.