Cong alleges workers, district chiefs put under house arrest ahead of 'MGNREGA Bachao' rally; CM denies

Chandigarh, Feb 25 (PTI) The opposition Congress on Wednesday claimed in the Haryana Assembly that many of its workers and several district unit chiefs from across the state had been put under house arrest to prevent them from taking part in the party's Vidhan Sabha gherao programme under the "MGNREGA Bachao Sangram" here.

However, the treasury benches junked the allegations levelled by the opposition.

As Question Hour came to a close, Congress member B B Batra claimed that party workers and district unit chiefs had been put under house arrest and prevented from reaching Chandigarh to take part in the Vidhan Sabha gherao programme.

Leader of Opposition Bhupinder Hooda alleged this is the first time district presidents and workers have been put under house arrest. "I want the government to give an answer. By whose orders have they been put under house arrest?" Hooda questioned.

Chief Minister Nayab Singh Saini said the Congress was trying to mislead the House. "The police has neither said anything to anyone, nor have they gone anywhere, nor is such a thing (house arrest) in my knowledge," the chief minister asserted, debunking the house arrest claim.

He further said nobody has been stopped from coming to Chandigarh.

Slamming the Congress, Saini said people have denounced the party as it only spreads falsehood. "Sometimes they say the Constitution is in danger, then say EVMs have been hacked, then they raise allegations of vote-theft," Saini quipped.

Bhupinder Hooda, speaking to reporters later, lashed out at Saini for his remarks in the assembly, questioning how the chief minister, who also holds the home department portfolio, could be unaware about the house arrest of Congress workers and leaders.

The Haryana Congress on Wednesday staged a protest against alleged changes to the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MNREGA) and accused the BJP government of weakening the social security scheme meant for the poor.

The protest was led by AICC in-charge B K Hariprasad, former chief minister and Leader of Opposition Bhupinder Singh Hooda, state Congress president Rao Narender Singh, and MPs, including Deepender Singh Hooda, along with other party leaders and several workers.

The protesters took out a protest march from the Congress office and were headed towards the state Assembly, but were stopped midway by police. Several of them were detained as they raised slogans against the government and alleged that it was trying to abolish MNREGA.

Earlier in the morning, the Chandigarh police pasted a notice at the Haryana Congress office here which said the Union territory administration has designated a rally ground in Sector 25 as the only approved venue for processions, rallies, dharnas, and public gatherings, and no permission has been granted for such events elsewhere in the city.

In compliance with an order issued under Section 163 of the BNSS by the district magistrate, assembly of five or more persons for the purpose of procession, rally, protest, strike, slogan raising, or public speeches is prohibited at all places within Chandigarh other than the rally ground in Sector 25, the notice read.

Speaking to reporters, Deepender Hooda asserted that holding peaceful protest is a constitutional right.

On the notice pasted outside the party office, he said, "Never before has such notices been pasted".

On house arrests, Deepender said, "Police reached homes of our workers and leaders in districts and they were under house arrest and prevented from reaching Chandigarh." Meanwhile, AICC general secretary Randeep Singh Surjewala alleged that almost in all districts, Congress workers and leaders were put under house arrest.

Calls, photos and videos of numerous such workers and leaders have been received from Hisar, Ambala, Yamunanagar, Panipat, and Faridabad, Surjewala claimed.

He alleged that the BJP government wants to suppress the voice of the Congress and the people of Haryana, and should know that "they will never succeed in this conspiracy".

Senior Congress member Raghuvir Singh Kadian said, "It is opposition's duty, right and moral responsibility to raise issues of public importance. But the government wants to suppress our voice, but we will continue to raise issues concerning the people." PTI SUN ARB ARB