Congress workers fought pitched battle with police in the state capital in order to reach Vidhan Bhawan on the call by the Uttar Pradesh Congress for Vidhan Sabha gherao on Wednesday to protest against the “misrule of the BJP governnent”.
Hundreds of party workers protested near the state party office when police did not allow them to go further. Police also used mild force to disperse the Congress workers who tried to cross the barricades leading to injury to some party leaders.Later, hundreds of party leaders and workers were arrested near the state party office and were taken to ECO Garden, where they were released later n the evening.
UP Congress president Ajay Rai, who was going to gherao with the supporters , was arrested by the police along with others . He became unconscious for some time during the scuffle when he tried to jump over a police barricade. The party MLA and leader and its Legislative Party in the Assembly, Aradhana Mishra Mona,too demonstrated near the statue of Chaudhary Charan Singh in the Vidhan Bhawan and raised the issues of law and order and farmers of the state. The police arrested her too.She also raised questions during the proceedings in the Assembly and said that Congress workers and leaders from the districts were not being allowed to come to Lucknow for protest.
Several Congress leaders were put under house arrest in Lucknow and other districts and barricades have been put up at various places. RAF (Rapid Action Force) personnel were deployed outside the Congress office in Lucknow. Ajay Rai alleged that sharp barricades were erected to stop his party workers. ” These ‘spears’ will cause serious injury to our workers. This is happening for the first time. This government wants to kill our workers. Our workers are being stopped at everywhere,” he alleged.
Meanwhile, the police has sent notices to more than two dozen senior leaders including state president Ajay Rai, outgoing state general secretary organization Anil Yadav, Dinesh Singh. Police security has been imposed at the house of these leaders since Tuesday evening.The notice sent by the police said that the third session of the assembly was going on. In this, a siege can pose a serious threat to law and order and security of specific people. Therefore, under the prohibitory order, Section 163 of the Indian Civil Defense Code is effective. In such a situation, if there is any siege, protest or attempt to disturb the peace, then strictest action will be taken as per the rules.