MEERUT: Congress leaders Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi Vadra were allegedly forced to turn back to Delhi from Meerut border on Tuesday while they were on their way to meet the families of those killed in the violent protests against the CAA in the district.
Congress leaders said Rahul and Priyanka were stopped at Partarpur area, about 50 km from Delhi. The two leaders had a plan to reach Lisarigate, which had witnessed massive violence. Despite Section 144 of CrPC being in force, there was a large assembly of Congress leaders and common people in the area.
Interacting with mediapersons while returning to Delhi, Rahul said: “We asked the police, ‘do you have any orders (in writing to stop us)?’ They did not show us any orders but still turned us back.”
“We requested that only three people would enter the district so as not to violate any prohibitory orders…But the permission was declined by local police officers,” he added.
Meerut SSP Ajai Sahni denied having stopped the Congress leaders from entering Meerut.
He claimed that the SHO of Partapur police station and the city magistrate showed a notice to Rahul and Priyanka informing them that Section 144 was in force in the district.
Sahni said the notice was received by the ‘PS’ of the Congress leaders.
“After a brief confabulation, both the leader decided to go back to Delhi,” he said.
However, the Congress leaders accused the district administration and police authorities of stopping Rahul and Priyanka from meeting the victims.