Priyanka seeks judicial probe in police action in UP

Congress General Secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra on Monday demanded a judicial probe into the Uttar Pradesh Police's action against those who protested over the Citizenship Amendment Act.

Addressing a press conference here, Priyanka said that her party has demanded a probe by a high court judge into the police action against protesters. She asked the state police to immediately stop its "illegal activities" against the protesters.

She said that the process of sealing and seizure of properties of the protesters must also stop and cases must not be lodged against "innocent students".

Priyanka brushed aside all questions related to her security and said that it was a small issue and not concerning the people.

Blaming the state government, police and the administration for unleashing "anarchy" in the state, Priyanka said that she had visited Bijnor to get first hand information about the police action.

"The two youths, Anas and Suleiman, who were killed, were young men in their early twenties. One was working as a coffee vendor and another was an IAS aspirant. They had gone out of their houses for an errand and the news of their death came home. They were not even protesting. The police threatened their families and did not even allow burial as per the families' wishes," she said.

Priyanka said that in Lucknow, a retired IPS officer S. R. Darapuri, who is 77 years old, was picked up from his home for a Facebook post.

"His wife is bed-ridden and now they have served him a notice for attachment of his property. Another activist Sadaf Jafar was arrested while she was taking a video of the protests. There is a 16-year-old daughter and a ten-year-old son in her house and they are waiting for their mother. I have met both the families," she said.

Priyanka said that in Varanasi, a number of students have been arrested. "A young couple Ravi Shekhar and Ekta were arrested. Their 14-month-old infant is waiting for them," she added.

The Congress general secretary said that it was Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath's "badla" remark that had made the police behave in an illegal manner.

( With inputs from IANS )