NEW DELHI: A day after Congress general secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra alleged manhandling by Lucknow Police, Uttar Pradesh Deputy Chief Minister Keshav Prasad Maurya said her “theatrics” would not fetch votes for the party and such incidents will further finish it.
His remarks comes following a high voltage drama in Lucknow on Saturday when Priyanka alleged that woman cops grabbed her by the throat and pushed her as she resisted police’s attempts to stop her from visiting the residence of retired IPS officer S R Darapuri, arrested in connection with the protests.
Accusing the Congress of instigating violence, Maurya said it cannot tolerate a peaceful atmosphere and development in Uttar Pradesh.
“Everyone in UP knows that the Congress only has members who are interested in getting their photos clicked. By misleading the country on the issue of CAA, the Congress has become a villain in the eyes of the public,” he said.
Priyanka, in turn, stepped up attack on the state government, saying it had crossed all limits of inhumanity by leveling baseless allegations against party workers and social activist Sadaf Zafar, who was arrested for protesting against the CAA.
“This insensitive government has separated children from their mother and the older generation from their children,” the Congress general secretary said.
Reacting to Maurya’s comments, Congress’s state media management committee member Lalan Kumar said, “BJP leaders are making such statements as they are afraid of Priyanka ji. Ever since she has taken charge of UP, the party workers are feeling galvanised. The BJP is losing its political ground in the state and the country with every passing day.”
Meanwhile, the state police on Sunday denied the allegation as false and instead claimed that the woman police officer who was fleet-incharge of Priyanka was manhandled when she went to inquire about the change in the Congress leader’s itinerary.