FILE | Congress leader Rahul Gandhi drives a tractor to reach Parliament in support of farmers agitation against Centres farm reform laws during Monsoon Session in New Delhi, Monday, July 26, 2021.
Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Monday drove a tractor to Parliament to oppose the three farm laws and show solidarity with the farmers who have been protesting against the news laws since last eight months. Rahul Gandhi was accompanied by Congress leaders, including Randeep Surjewala, Ravneet Singh Bittu, Deepinder Singh Hooda and others. Surjewala and Youth Congress chief BV Srinivas, along with a number of party leaders, were detained by the Delhi Police outside Parliament and taken to Mandir marg police station. The tractor driven by Rahul Gandhi was also impounded by police.
The Delhi Police has now launched a probe to find out how did the Congress leaders manage to get the tractor near Parliament which is being seen as a major security breach.
According to police sources, the Congress party was preparing for the tractor march for several days. With the help of CCTV cameras, it is being ascertained how the tractor reached there and by which route it was brought so close to Parliament. A container was used to bring the tractor which Rahul Gandhi was riding to New Delhi district, police said.
As per the initial investigation, it has been revealed that the Congress workers were aware that there was a police alert in New Delhi district and police pickets have been installed at many places. Because of this the tractor was brought in a container and offloaded near the Parliament and was kept in a building (kothi) about one and a half kilometers away from the House. The tractor was modified inside the building and hoardings were also put up.
Police said the tractor was being brought via Motilal Nehru Marg-Sunehri Bagh roundabout. After that the police stopped the tractor on Motilal Nehru Marg, it was brought to Rafi Marg and was taken from Rail Bhawan roundabout to Parliament House via Red Cross Road. The container was also stopped by the police at one place, but furnishing a letter from a MP that it contains Parliament's material, the container was allowed.
Taking a strong note of this incident, strict orders have been given to all the SHOs of New Delhi district to allow all the heavy vehicles to enter only after proper checking. Not only this, the number of police pickets around the Parliament House has been increased. And only after thorough checking of the vehicles going towards North Block, South Block, and Parliament House, and after furnishing respective IDs entry is being allowed.
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