‘No place for revenge in country,’ says Priyanka Gandhi
LUCKNOW/NEW DELHI : Congress General Secretary Priyanka Gandhi hit out at Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath on Monday and said there is no place for violence, revenge and resentment in this country’s soul. It seems state administration and police are acting on UP Chief Minister’s ‘revenge’ remark,” she said.
Her remark was in response to CM Yogi Adityanath’s comment that those who had damaged public assets during the anti-Citizenship Amendment Act protests would be made to pay. She also brushed aside concerns about her safety and said that it is the safety of the common people that matters.
In a jibe at the chief minister days after he had said that those who had damaged public assets would be made to pay, the Congress general secretary said saffron denotes Hinduism, a religion that does not advocate violence or “revenge”.
Priyanka Gandhi accused the police of “working to ensure Yogi’s badla (revenge)”, referring to a shocking statement by Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath who said his government would take “badla (revenge)” on anti-CAA protestors.
Ms Gandhi’s comments come two days after she accused Lucknow cops of manhandling her – she said they “grabbed me by the neck” – while en route to visit a retired IPS officer arrested for opposing the Citizenship Act.
Bringing up the issue of her alleged manhandling by the UP Police, Priyanka Gandhi said, “The question of my security is not a big question rather a small one. There is no need to discuss it. Today we are raising the issue of security of the state’s people.”
Addressing reporters in Delhi this evening Ms Gandhi dismissed concerns about her own safety and said India was “no place for enmity, violence and revenge”.
“My safety isn’t a big issue… (it) doesn’t deserve security. We are talking about safety of common man, safety of citizens. The cases we know of suggest more than 5,500 have been arrested. Many have been jailed in discreet manner… they are being thrashed. Police and administration are complicit in wrongdoing,” Priyanka said.
There have been violent protests nationwide against the Citizenship Act, the first-ever law to make religion a criteria for citizenship. More than 20 people have died across UP alone, many from bullet injuries. UP cops initially denied they opened fire but, last week, cops from Bijnor district told NDTV that of two protestors killed in the town one died in police firing. Ms Gandhi had visited their families.
“I went to Bijnor… two kids died there. One was a coffee vendor who was standing outside his house; he had told his father he’d go and buy milk. His father advised against it but he went ahead,” she said, adding, “People say cops picked him up and, after 30 minutes, they got to know a boy’s body had been found… he had been shot. Cops pressed FIR, threatened victim’s family against seeking justice”.
Priyanka Gandhi Vadra has alleged she was manhandled by Lucknow cops on Saturday “The other (referring to 20-year-old Suleman who was an IAS aspirant and had nothing to do with the protests, according to his family) had gone to offer namaz,” she continued. The Bijnor police chief claimed the killing of Suleman was in self-defence.
She further said that the Congress has submitted a letter to the Governor which includes the complete of chaos in the state caused by Uttar Pradesh government, administration, and police.
“I went to the house in Bijnor where two students died. One of them was shot outside his home … In the evening, the police threatened them not to take any legal action … According to media and official reports, 5,500 people were detained and 1,100 were arrested. Unofficially, the number is higher,” she said.
( Bureau Report with Agency Inputs ).
