National Herald case: Adhir Ranjan asks 'are we terrorists' as Delhi Police vs Congress continues| Watch

Congress leader Rahul Gandhi is being quizzed by the Enforcement Directorate for the third straight day in the National Herald money-laundering case. He was questioned for over 20 hours spread over the first two days.

Since Monday, when he first appeared at the ED's Delhi office, Congress workers and senior party leaders have been protesting against the investigating agency's action against Gandhi.

Over the course of two days, several workers and leaders have faced police action for protesting outside the AICC office and many have also been detained, including Randeep Surjewala and Deepender Hooda. The protestors were piled onto buses by the police and taken away.

On the third day of protests, senior leader Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury lashed out when workers and leaders were detained by police, asking, 'Are we terrorists? Why are you scared of us? They are using police force against Congress leaders and workers,'

Chowdhury was joined by Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel and senior leader KC Venugopal among others.

Several Youth Congress and Mahila Congress workers protesting outside the Congress office on Akbar Road were roughed up by the police and forcibly taken away, a party worker said.

Congress MPs Manickam Tagore, Thirunavakkarasuar, A Chella Kumar, Amar Singh and Jayakumar Vijay Vasanth protested in the Parliament complex and raised slogans against the government.

Tagore said they had come to the Parliament complex as they were not allowed to enter the AICC office by the police. The MPs wanted to protest near the Mahatma Gandhi statue against the "torture" and questioning of Rahul Gandhi by the ED in a false case, he said.

The MP, however, alleged that they are not allowed to stage a protest. He said the police were acting as BJP agents.

"What is happening in the country. Have we become a Banana Republic? Is this democracy? The Constitution is being violated," senior Congress leader Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury said.

Accusing the police of high-handedness, the Congress Lok Sabha leader said they entered the AICC office and beat up Congress workers. He claimed that the police would have caused a havoc had the media not been there.

"Our workers are being beaten up mercilessly," Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel said, cautioning the BJP.

The police have put up barricades around the AICC office here and workers were prevented from entering the party office.

Congress leaders claimed this was the first time in the country that party workers were not allowed to enter the AICC office.

Also watch: National Herald case: Delhi Police denies entering Congress HQ, says not using force

Prohibitory orders have been imposed in central Delhi since Monday, banning the assembly of more four or more people.

With PTI inputs