Congress stage protest against price rise, several leaders detained

Congress on Friday organised a nationwide protest against price rise, hike in GST on essential items and unemployment. According agency report, in Delhi,black was the colour of the protest for the Congress on Friday --from Kurtas and headgears to scarves and sarees-- were among the sartorial choices the party leaders opted for as part of a novel protest to draw the government's attention to what they said was a "grim" economic situation in the country. 

Police detained Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, Rahul Gandhi and other Congress leaders -- dragging them into police vehicles -- from outside the party headquarters in Delhi. Police had barricaded key areas to disallow the protest plan, which included marches to the Prime Minister's house and Rashtrapati Bhavan. Prohibitory orders, banning large gatherings in parts of Delhi ahead of the Congress march, had already been announced by the administration. Citing these restrictions, police had denied permission for the protest. The protesting MPs of the opposition party raised slogans against the government demanding that the GST hike on essential items be withdrawn, with party chief Sonia Gandhi standing with the women MPs holding a banner outside gate number 1 of Parliament.