Yadav slams arrest of Youth Cong chief, other workers

Delhi Pradesh Congress Committee (DPCC) president Devender Yadav on Wednesday strongly criticised the arrest of Youth Congress president Uday Bhanu Chib and other workers, calling it “illegal and unconstitutional” and accusing the BJP government of attempting to suppress the opposition’s voice.

Addressing a meeting of the DPCC’s state executive, district presidents, frontal organisations and observers at Rajiv Bhawan, Yadav said the arrests reflected a “dictatorial attitude” and warned that the Congress would launch a mass agitation if the detained leaders were not released.

“In a democratic system, if the BJP Government arrests Congress workers for peacefully expressing their opinion against anti-national decisions, then we are not ones to remain silent out of fear,” he said. “If the government puts one Congress worker in jail, we will line up another hundred workers to face jail and lathi blows, and if they are arrested, thousand Congress soldiers will stand in the interest of the country.”

Yadav alleged that the arrests were part of a broader attempt to stifle dissent and said the Congress would continue to protest against what he termed anti-people policies. He added that a party delegation had met the Lieutenant Governor seeking the release of the detained Youth Congress leaders and workers.

AICC Delhi in-charge Qazi Nizamuddin also criticised the BJP, alleging that the government was trying to discredit protests and silence opposition voices. “Wherever the BJP government takes anti-national steps, Youth Congress workers are the first to raise their voice and stand with the people,” he said.