GURGAON: Two district Congress presidents who had waved black flags at chief minister Nayab Singh Saini’s convoy in Gurgaon on August 21 have allegedly “gone missing”, triggering a protest by party workers outside the police commissioner’s office on Monday, news agency PTI reported.Party leaders and workers, led by state Congress president Rao Narendra Singh and former state president Udaybhan, submitted a memorandum to police commissioner Shibash Kabiraj.District Congress president (Rural) Vardhan Rao and Pankaj Dawar (Urban) have allegedly been missing for four days. Both had waved black flags at Saini’s convoy on August 21 and were detained by police.Rao Narendra Singh questioned the police over their “disappearance”, while police maintained that both men are accused in a case and are currently being sought by the authorities.“What crime had the Congress leaders committed to warrant such action against them? The young men were apprehended and subjected to brutal assault. We demand quashing of the FIR registered against them and action against the police personnel who assaulted the youths.“If these demands were not met, the Congress would stage protests across Haryana,” Rao Narendra Singh said.The Haryana Congress chief later held a press conference and said police have alleged that the protesters tore police uniforms, a claim that warrants investigation. He said the leaders had merely shown black flags to the chief minister and had not assaulted anyone — “they were simply standing on the roadside”.Singh said the party had no information regarding the whereabouts of the two district presidents and urged them to come forward, assuring them there was no need to fear police.The Congress is treating the matter very seriously, he said, warning that the Congress’ decency should not be taken for weakness.“Congress leaders were assaulted, and their family members were harassed. The father of an NSUI leader was also mistreated. The action was taken at the behest of the government. A high-level inquiry should be conducted into this entire matter,” Singh said.Family members of Pankaj Dawar said police detained him on August 21 in connection with the protest against the chief minister but released him the following day.However, Dawar has been missing since. His family said they fear that if they speak up about the matter, police will detain them too, and are therefore refraining from commenting on the issue.Meanwhile, BJP workers led by district president Sarvapriya Tyagi also staged a protest outside the police commissioner’s office on Monday. BJP workers met assistant commissioner of police Dharmbir and demanded action against those who waved black flags at the chief minister.(With agency inputs)
