New Delhi: Angry over K S Sudarshan's derogatory remarks against Sonia Gandhi, Congress activists today staged countrywide protests by burning his effigy even as a defamation case was filed against the former RSS chief.
Protesters outside the RSS headquarters at Jhandewala here had to be dispersed by police by using water canons.
In West Bengal, the arterial road connecting south and north Kolkata was blocked for about 20 minutes by Congress demonstrators. Effigy of Sudarshan were burnt in Esplanade area in Kolkata with Congress workers carrying placards that read "Arrest Sudarshan" and "Condemn Sudarshan for his filthy comments against Soniaji".
In Patna, hundreds of party activists assembled near Patna Junction and took out a procession to the busy Dak Bungalow roundabout where they held protests and burnt effigy.
They urged the state government to register a criminal case against Sudarshan for tarnishing the image of Sonia Gandhi.
A defamation case was filed in a Bhopal court against Sudarshan by local Congressman Pradeep Sharma who said the remarks against Sonia "had deeply hurt him".
In Chennai, hundreds of Congress workers including state party chief K V Thangkabalu were taken into custody when they resorted to a 'road blockade'.
Thangkabalu later sought Sudershan's arrest and an 'unqualified apology' from the RSS chief for his remarks.
In Hyderabad, Congress workers put a garland of 'chappals' on a portrait of Sudarshan and raised slogans against him. Addressing partymen who staged a demonstration at Basheer Bagh, Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister K Rosaiah said the remarks made by Sudarshan were inhuman and should be condemned by all people.
In Puducherry, the Congress is planning a massive agitation to "slam RSS and its functionary for the intemperate comments".
The Punjab unit of Congress also threatened to hold demonstrations across the state.
In Dehradun, nearly a hundred Congress workers led by state president Yashpal Arya courted arrest.
Congress activists, including a large number of women, staged a demonstration in Bhubaneswar at the busy Master Canteen Square and demanded Sudarshan's arrest.
The women's wing of Orissa Congress said it planned to file a criminal case against Sudarshan if he does not tender a public apology for his remark.
Protests were also held in Maharashtra, Arunachal Pradesh, Jammu and Kashmir Pradesh, Haryana among other states.
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