'Descent into banana republic has begun': Mehbooba Mufti demands Priyanka Gandhi's release from detention

Priyanka was detained on Monday in Sitapur while on her way to Lakhimpur where eight people were killed in violence on Sunday.

Congress general secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra and other party leaders reach to meet the victims of the violence that erupted during a farmers' protes in Lakhimpur Kheri. (Photo | PTI)

SRINAGAR: India is a democracy on paper, but its grim descent into a banana republic has begun, PDP president Mehbooba Mufti said on Tuesday while slamming the detention of Congress general secretary Priyanka Gandhi in Uttar Pradesh.

She also demanded that Gandhi be released.

"GOI first gets a docile media to berate Congress & lament lack of a viable opposition but systematically ensures they don't discharge their duties by illegal arrests. We are a democracy on paper but clearly the grim descent into a banana republic has begun. Release @priyankagandhi," the former Jammu and Kashmir chief minister said on Twitter.

GOI first gets a docile media to berate Congress & lament lack of a viable opposition but systematically ensures they don’t discharge their duties by illegal arrests.We are a democracy on paper but clearly the grim descent into a banana republic has begun.Release @priyankagandhi

— Mehbooba Mufti (@MehboobaMufti) October 5, 2021

Gandhi was detained on Monday in Sitapur while on her way to Lakhimpur where eight people were killed in violence on Sunday.

Four of the dead were farmers allegedly knocked down by vehicles driven by BJP workers travelling to welcome Deputy Chief Minister Keshav Prasad Maurya.