Sonia, Rahul to never compromise on ideological fight: Ashok Gehlot

Congress president Sonia Gandhi and former party chief Rahul Gandhi have given the message that they will never compromise on the ideological fight against the BJP-led dispensation, Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot said on Monday and claimed the "arrogance" with which Prime Minister Narendra Modi has been acting will come to an end.

Former Rajasthan deputy chief minister Sachin Pilot alleged that investigative agencies were being misused by the ruling BJP.

"The manner in which 6-7 years-old cases against Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi were taken up, it is evident that politics of putting pressure on political opponents is being played," he told reporters.

 

Their remarks came after Congress leaders took to the streets as Rahul Gandhi appeared before the ED for questioning in a money laundering case, with the police heavily barricading central Delhi areas and detaining party leaders for violating prohibitory orders.

"Rahul Gandhi and Sonia Gandhi have given a message to the country that we will not compromise, we will fight on the basis of ideology. There is so much pressure on the CBI, Income Tax, ED, DRI, judiciary that even if someone wants to work in an impartial manner, that person cannot do it," Gehlot told reporters.

"The time has come that every Indian should think about where we want to take the country to. Rahul Gandhi said in London that BJP has poured kerosene all over the country. Now you see what is happening? Riots are happening, riots are being instigated, tensions are rising," he said, hitting out at the BJP.

"Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Home Minister Amit Shah are walking around with ego and arrogance. Arrogance has not worked for anyone till today, it is not going to work for them either, it will end tomorrow, if not today," he said.

Prominent among those detained were Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel and Congress leaders Randeep Surjewala, K C Venugopal and Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury.

Rahul Gandhi, 51, arrived at the probe agency in central Delhi around 11 AM after he started from the Congress office on Akbar Road accompanied by a large convoy of party leaders, including Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, Gehlot and Baghel.

In view of the barricading, Gandhi took a detour to reach the probe agency's office.

This is the first time that Gandhi has appeared before a central probe agency for questioning in a case.

Congress MPs and workers had assembled at the AICC headquarters where Surjewala announced they would march peacefully towards the ED office and if they are stopped, they would court arrest.

Raising slogans in support of Gandhi, Congress workers started a march towards the ED office but were stopped by the police which had put up barricades all around the AICC office.