New Delhi: Congress MPs protesting inflation, and unemployment were detained at Vijay Chowk today. Party chiefs Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi donning black attires joined the protest. Other senior leaders Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury, and KC Venugopal also joined the top brass. The party league was detained as Congress MPs resorted to a sit out dharna outside the Parliament.

Prior to beginning their protests, Mallikarjun Kharge convened a CPC meet to prepare a protest strategy against the government.

In a scathing attack on the ruling party, Rahul Gandhi at a press conference ahead of the protests said- democracy is dead and the country is under a dictatorship.

“We are witnessing the death of democracy. What India has built brick by brick, starting almost a century ago, is being destroyed in front of your eyes. Anybody who stands against this idea of onset of dictatorship is viciously attacked, jailed, arrested and beaten up, said Gandhi accusing the BJP of using central agencies to silence those who question the government.

Rahul Gandhi went on to say that the government is determined to not allow any kind of debate and discussion on pressing issues in Parliament.

Earlier today, the Delhi Police Commissioner denied permission to the party to protest and deployed heavy forces at the entry gate of the Indian Youth Congress office near Parliament House. Delhi Police and paramilitary forces have been engaged and section 144 is imposed in the national capital.