LUCKNOW, Feb. 18 -- A major confrontation allegedly broke out between the Congress leaders and police in Lucknow on Tuesday after authorities stopped party workers from marching towards the Uttar Pradesh Legislative Assembly during a protest against the Centre for making changes to the rural job scheme MGNREGA, and for introducing VB-GRAMG. Several senior leaders and hundreds of workers were detained as police used barricades and heavy deployment to block the march amid the ongoing budget session. Senior leaders, including Uttar Pradesh Congress Committee (UPCC) president Ajay Rai, Congress legislature party leader Aradhna Mishra, and state in-charge Avinash Pande, climbed barricades and raised slogans along with around 1,000 party workers. Police detained at least 200 Congress leaders and workers, while Barabanki MP Tanuj Punia was allegedly placed under house arrest while heading to Lucknow. More than 500 police personnel, including the RAF, were deployed at the party office on Mall Avenue since morning. As Congress workers marched towards the UP Sunni Central Wakf Board, about 200 metres from the party office, a scuffle allegedly broke out between police and protesters. The confrontation reportedly continued for over an hour before the leaders were detained. "Congress has launched a nationwide protest over MGNREGA because it is not just a scheme but a legal guarantee to work and one of the most important sources of employment in rural areas. Bharatiya Janata Party is attempting to distort and weaken this entire Act, and there is a conspiracy to effectively end it," Aradhna Mishra said. Rai alleged that several leaders had been placed under house arrest and security forces were deployed across districts. "We have decided that we will stand and gherao the Vidhan Bhavan to protest," he said. The state unit of the Congress had announced plans to surround the Vidhan Bhavan, and workers from across the state reached the party office since the previous night. PAC personnel arrived in two vehicles, and forces from four police stations were deployed. Rai alleged that party workers were subjected to a lathi charge and harassment. He said the protest was also against alleged attempts to weaken MGNREGA, insult women, show disrespect towards Shankaracharya and Mata Ahilyabai Holkar, and destroy traditional markets such as Dal Mandi in Varanasi. "We will take our workers to the assembly, and for every lathi hit on them, we will hold the government accountable," he said. Congress MP Kishori Lal Sharma said the developments were dangerous for democracy and added that the party leadership had announced a peaceful gherao of the assembly....