Rahul Gandhi detained during street protest against Modi govt: 'India a police state, Modi a king'

INDIAN opposition leader Rahul Gandhi was on Tuesday (26) detained by the law-keepers after he led a street protest against the Narendra Modi government over various issues and sat on a road in the heart of New Delhi while his mother Sonia Gandhi, the president of the Indian National Congress, was questioned by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) in connection to the National Herald money-laundering case. Rahul said India is a police state while prime minister Narendra Modi is a king.

Rahul, 52, sat on Rajpath, a high-security avenue near the Indian parliament and top government establishments, surrounded by a number of policemen. He protested over price rise to the Goods and Services Tax to alleged targeting of opposition leaders by the government with help of probe agencies.

The Congress also shared Rahul's image alongside a black-and-white photo from the archives showing former Indian prime minister Indira Gandhi, the former's grandmother, on a similar protest.

The party tweeted in Hindi, "History repeating".

"I am not courting arrest, I am protesting against price rise, unemployment, for the voice of the people..." Rahul told NDTV.

As he sat alone with the others accompanying him having been already detained, Rahul was seen taking out his mobile phone and taking a photo of the policemen.

After a stand-off that lasted for nearly an hour, the Congress parliamentarian from Wayanad in the southern state of Kerala was detained by the policemen who took him into a bus along with other detained parliamentarians of the opposition party.

"India is a police state, (Prime Minister Narendra) Modi is a king," Rahul said while being led away by the police.

Meanwhile, Sonia, 75, was at the ED office in the city for the second round of interrogation in connection with the National Herald case.

The veteran leader, who has also been ailing for some time, was accompanied by her daughter and Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi Vadra to the probe agency's office.

Rahul also went there before joining the protest at the parliament.