Congress workers protest outside Rajnath Singh's residence

Rahul Gandhi was detained on Wednesday after he tried meeting family members of ex-serviceman Ram Kishan Grewal

Lucknow, Nov 3: Youth Congress workers on Thursday staged a dharna before the official residence of Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh here to lodge their protest against detention of party's Vice President Rahul Gandhi and family members of ex-serviceman Ram Kishan Grewal.

Rahul was detained by police in New Delhi on Wednesday after he tried to enter RML hospital to meet family members of Grewal, who allegedly committed suicide over the OROP issue.

Led by state unit president Ankit Parihar, the youth wing activists marched from Congress office up to Singh's official residence at 4, Kalidas Marg and staged a gherao.

Squatting on the road, the activists raised slogans against the Union governent and also burnt an effigy of the Prime Minister, media chairman of UP Youth Congress Anshu Awasthi claimed. The activists also courted arrest, he said.

Speaking on the occasion, Parihar flayed the central government for trying to crush democracy and said the aim of the Modi government appeared to be creating anarchy instead of working for country's development.

Last evening in Mathura also Congress workers had burnt the effigy of the PM. "It is murder of democracy, and beginning of dictatorship," said Pradeep Mathur, leader of Congress Legislator party in UP.

The party activists gathered at the Holi gate and burnt the effigy of Modi and BJP. The city Congress leaders said "dream of Modi to crush Congress would not succeed".

PTI