BJP chief Nitin Gadkari said, 'The crackdown reminds me of Emergency days. The Congress is not ready to discuss corruption through democratic means.'
Condemning the police action to disrupt Ramdev's agitation, BJP today sought to hold Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and Congress chief Sonia Gandhi for it and announced a 24-hour stir across the country to protest it.
BJP president Nitin Gadkari said the "police crackdown" was reminiscent of the Emergency days and alleged that Congress was not ready to discuss corruption issue through democratic means like that period.
"The crackdown by police came on the orders of the prime minister and Sonia Gandhi. We strongly condemn it...The prime ,inister and Sonia Gandhi must apologise to the people," Gadkari said addressing a press conference here.
The BJP chief also announced a 24-hour agitation at district level across the country in protest against the "police high-handedness."
Detailing the programme for the agitation, he said the party workers will hold satyagrah at Rajghat in Delhi whether or not government gives permission.
Replying to questions, he said the issue of corruption should not be politicised.
At the same time, he said it was BJP which had raised the issue of black money and corruption first and that it will support the organisations fighting against it.
Gadkari said that a meeting of senior party functionaries would be held in Delhi at 5 pm today after which a satyagraha would be staged at Rajghat from 7 pm onwards.
"Senior leaders including LK Advani, leaders of opposition in both the houses (Sushma Swaraj and Arun Jaitley), Rajnath Singh and myself will participate in the satyagraha," he said.
Comparing the police action at the Ramlila ground with the Jallianwala Bagh massacre, the BJP president said that the manner in which the atrocities were committed was a serious matter.
"It is an act of fascist and undemocratic mentality and the BJP will strongly fight against it," he said.
Gadkari said the issue of corruption and black money raised by Baba Ramdev was in the national interest.
"I don't understand that why the government is trying to divert the issue, probably there is fear that if everything comes into open then it may cause embarrassment," he said.
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
)
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
)
)
)
)
)
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}