Gandhinagar: The three day winter session of the Gujarat assembly started from today even as several Congress leaders including its state president cum MLA Amit Chavda were detained during a protest march to lay siege of the house on various issues.

The state government will table eight bills including those pertaining to amendment in existing land revenue bill, cooperative society bill and the ones related to the Statue of Unity management, GST and Professional Technology University during the session that will culminate on December 11.

Meanwhile, the Congress party as scheduled organized protest Dharna at Satyagrah Chhavni ground in sector 6 area here on the issue of alleged irregularity in GSSSB conducted non-secretariat clerk exam.

Chavda who along with other leaders was detained during his protest march towards the assembly, earlier told newsmen that the BJP government in the state was insensitive towards the issues pertaining to students, farmers and commoners. He said that the party had organized the laying siege of the assembly to support the students/aspirants of the non-secretariat exam and demanding the cancellation of the malpractice marred exam. He said that the party would raise this issue and the ones related to the farmers plight, rapes and women security, corruption and price rise in the house.

He alleged that the BJP government was following its policy of suppressing the voice of dissent.

Later during the assembly march Chavda and other leaders were detained and in the scuffle that followed his kurta was also torn.

Police and SRP were deployed in and around the assembly and the venue of the Congress dharna.

A senior police officer later said that congress was granted permission for the dharna only and not for assembly march. The leaders were detained due to this.