LUCKNOW: Amidst high drama on the roads of state capital Lucknow, AICC general secretary Priyanka Gandhi gave a slip to the police personnel and reached the house of retired IPS officer SR Darapuri, who was arrested during anti-Citizenship Amendment Act protests in the city on December 20. Later, the Congress leader accused the police of roughing her up while she was on way to meet Darapuri.
It all started when Priyanka Gandhi's vehicle was stopped by a bunch of policemen near Lohia Park crossing in the city. Gandhi reasoned with cops who insisted she was not allowed to go any further as she was accompanied by a number of Congress workers and leaders and Section 144 of CrPC was in force in the state capital.
Priyanka got down and started riding pillion on a party worker's scooty before she was stopped again. When stopped again, she started walking along with her supporters but was stopped again by a female police officer.
The Congress leader claimed that she was held by the woman police personnel and pushed by another as she was walking towards Darapuri's house.
"I was surrounded and a woman cop held me by my throat. Another woman cop pushed me and I fell down. I was forcibly stopped and a woman officer pulled me up by my neck. But I was determined. I am standing with every citizen who has faced police oppression. This is my satyagraha," she later told media persons.
Slamming the UP government over the issue, the Congress demanded imposition of President’s rule in the state. Party leader Sushmita Dev said Priyanka “didn’t violate Section 144 but even then she was manhandled”.
However, Uttar Pradesh minister and state government spokesperson Siddharth Nath Singh charged Priyanka with creating trouble on the law and order front deliberately.
She wanted to have theatrics to hog the limelight after her programmes flopped, he said.