Lucknow, October 05, 2021 (PPI-OT): Congress General Secretary, Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, said today that she had been “illegally held” by the Uttar Pradesh government for over 24 hours and targeted Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi for not acting against a Union Minister whose son is accused of running over farmers at a protest in Lakhimpur Kheri on Sunday.
Farmers were protesting at Lakhimpur Kheri on Sunday against the visit of Indian Union Minister Ajay Kumar Mishra for an event when a vehicle in his convoy rammed a group of protesters, killing eight people, including four farmers. A video, apparently of the incident, has gone viral though its authenticity is not confirmed. Priyanka Gandhi tweeted the video. Priyanka was arrested when she was on way to Lakhimpur Kheri to meet the families of the dead farmers.
“Why is the opposition arrested without any order and a man who has committed such a horrendous crime… he is not arrested? PM Modi, arrest him, not people like us,” Priyanka Gandhi told NDTV from a government guest house in Sitapur, where she has been detained since early Monday morning.
On Tuesday, Uttar Pradesh officers said a case had been registered against Priyanka Gandhi and others “related to preventive detention for breach of peace”. But sources close to the Congress leader said she had not been served any order and not shown an FIR either. She was also reportedly not allowed to meet her counsel who had waited “at the gate” of the detention centre since morning.
According to a list on social media, 11 people have been named in the FIR. The Congress says eight of them were not even present at the time and one man had just brought Priyanka Gandhi’s clothes from Lucknow. Earlier today, Priyanka Gandhi said she was ready to stay “15 days, 20 days, six months or even six years” in detention. The Congress leader questioned Narendra Modi’s visit to Lucknow for an event linked to the Independence Day anniversary.
She said Modi is celebrating Azadi (freedom) but who gave the Indian people the freedom? “The farmers gave us freedom. What moral authority do you have to celebrate in Lucknow and not sack your minister and arrest his son? This government does not have the moral authority to continue if this minister continues,” Priyanka Gandhi lashed out. She asked Modi that will he go to Lakhimpur Kheri.
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