Priyanka detained in UP face-off : The Tribune India

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Priyanka detained in UP face-off

LUCKNOW:Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi Vadra was today detained and prevented from going to Sonbhadra, where 10 persons were killed over a land dispute on Wednesday, and taken to a guesthouse after she squatted on the road, insisting that she be allowed to proceed.



Shahira Naim

Tribune News Service

Lucknow, July 19

Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi Vadra was today detained and prevented from going to Sonbhadra, where 10 persons were killed over a land dispute on Wednesday, and taken to a guesthouse after she squatted on the road, insisting that she be allowed to proceed.

After initially denying reports, ADG Law and Order PV Ramasastry confirmed that she was indeed under arrest at Chunar Guest House. The administration offered to grant her bail on a personal surety, but Priyanka refused, firm on going to the site where the killings took place in a clash between Gonds and Gujjars.

Priyanka had arrived in Varanasi in the morning and met the injured at the Trauma Centre of the BHU hospital before making her way to Sonbhadra, around 80 km away. Her convoy was stopped near Naraynapur police chowki on the Mirzapur border.

Demanding to see the papers citing the reason for her being stopped, Priyanka squatted on the road along with Congress workers.

She asked the officials to show the written orders to stop her from proceeding to Sonbhadra, claiming that as Section 144 of the CrPC had not been promulgated in Mirzapur, there was no reason to stop her. She insisted that even in Sonbhadra she was planning to visit along with just four persons and had no intention to violate Section 144.

Addressing reporters, Priyanka said: “I just want to meet the families of the victims. I am willing to take only four persons with me because I do not want to defy the prohibitory orders and yet the district administration is not allowing us.”

Soon after the police vehicles whisked them away to the Chunar guest house, she said: “I don’t know where they are taking me. We are ready to go anywhere.”

A defiant Priyanka said she would not be cowed down by the police action which had no legal basis.

Congress workers staged dharnas across the nation and courted arrest in Lucknow, Sitapur, Banda, Lakhimpur, Deoria and Faizabad, Domariaganj and Basti among other cities of the state.

A Samajwadi Party delegation was also prevented from moving towards Sonbhadra and was detained at Kanahari primary school. Priyanka was among the first major leaders of any party scheduled to visit Murtiya village of the district to meet the family and the injured at the BHU hospital.


‘Ready to go to jail’

If the government wants to put me in jail for the crime of meeting the victims, I am fully prepared. Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, congress leader

‘No power, water supply in guest house’

Sources in the Congress claim that power supply to the guest house, where Priyanka has been under house arrest and in all likelihood would spend the night with her party colleagues, has been snapped and no arrangement for drinking water and food has been made.

‘BJP insecure’

The illegal arrest of Priyanka is disturbing. This arbitrary application of power (to prevent her from meeting victims’ kin) reveals the BJP govt’s increasing insecurity in UP. Rahul Gandhi, Cong leader

‘BJP, cong to blame’

The Congress and BJP governments are equally responsible for atrocities on the adivasi samaj. Whoever is out of power sheds crocodile tears.— Mayawati, BSP President

‘Need cooperation’

Whether it is the ruling party or the Oppn, everyone’s collective responsibility is to ensure that the situation does not aggravate. — Dinesh Sharma, UP deputy CM

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