Top Congress leaders sit on Satyagraha for Unity at Rajghat against CAA, NRC

The top Congress leadership, led by party chief Sonia Gandhi, sat on a "Satyagraha for Unity" at Mahatma Gandhi's memorial Rajghat in New Delhi on Monday, demanding protection of the rights of people as enshrined in the Constitution.

Top Congress leaders, including former prime minister Manmohan Singh, former party chief Rahul Gandhi and general secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, participated in the "Satyagraha", which was also meant to express solidarity with the youth and students protesting against the amended Citizenship Act and the proposed countrywide NRC as well as against the police "atrocities" on them.

Sonia Gandhi, Manmohan Singh and Rahul Gandhi read out the Preamble to the Constitution of India as part of the "Satyagraha" protest.

The party members also observed a one-minute silence in support of their cause and against the BJP-led government's policies.

Sonia Gandhi, however, was not present throughout the protest and left after about an hour.

After reading out the Preamble in Hindi, Priyanka Gandhi Vadra said in the names of all those "martyred" during the anti-CAA protests, her party resolved to protect the Constitution.

"In the name of Bijnor's 22-year-old Anas, who used to earn money for his family through a coffee-vending machine and had recently gotten married. In the name of 21-year-old Suleiman, who was studying for the UPSC exam and used to take tuition," she said.

On Sunday, Suleiman's mother told her with tear-filled eyes that her son was "martyred" for his country, she added.

"In the names of all the children who have been martyred in this movement. In the name of Bijnor's Omraj Saini, whose five children are waiting for him and he is in the hospital, injured. In their names, we resolve today that we will protect the Constitution and will not allow it to be destroyed," the Congress general secretary said.

Another Congress general secretary, K C Venugopal, said the programme was organised to remind the government about the strength of India's Constitution.

"This is to show solidarity with all the students of the country who are agitating for the cause of freedom of speech and expression. The country is going through a very difficult period because of the bad policies of this government.

"Our workers are here to express solidarity with our students, youth and those suffering due to the bad policies of the government, especially those protesting against the amended Citizenship Act," he said.

Congress chief ministers Ashok Gehlot, Kamal Nath, senior party leaders A K Antony, Ahmed Patel, Ghulam Nabi Azad, Mallikarjun Kharge, Anand Sharma, Digvijaya Singh, Mukul Wasnik, K C Venugopal, Meira Kumar, besides Congress Working Committee (CWC) members, All India Congress Committee (AICC) general secretaries and the party's state in-charges took part in the "Satyagraha".

Some religious leaders were also present at the spot.

The leaders and workers of the party, who sat under the shadow of a huge national flag, joined the top leaders in reading out the Preamble to the Constitution.

Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot and Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Kamal Nath asserted that their governments will not implement the amended Citizenship Act in the Congress-ruled states as it was against the basic principles of the Constitution.

Chhattisgarh minister T S Singh Deo, on behalf of Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel, said the CAA and NRC will not be implemented in his state either.