Minister's son free, I'm arrested: Priyanka Gandhi on UP violence
Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi Vadra was arrested early Monday as she headed to meet the kin of the farmers killed in Lakhimpur Kheri yesterday. Gandhi was detained by the police in Sitapur around 5:30 am. On her way, Gandhi had to take alternative routes as heavy security was deployed on the main roads to prevent Opposition leaders from visiting the scene of the violence.
Gandhi seen arguing with police; Congress accuses cops of manhandling
In a video, Gandhi can be seen arguing with cops while her convoy was stopped at Sitapur. "I am not more important than the people you have killed...The government you are defending...You give me a legal warrant...or else I will not move from here, and you won't touch me." Congress accused the police of pulling on Gandhi's clothes and twisting her arm.
Here's a clip of Gandhi's arguments with the cops
Gandhi sweeps room where cops detained her; video viral
After the dramatic videos of Gandhi's confrontation with the cops started doing the rounds, another video of her sweeping a room of the PAC (Provincial Arms Constabulary) Guest House—where she was kept under detention by UP Police—has gone viral. "That was my room. I like to keep my room clean," Gandhi told NDTV. Notably, Congress workers had gathered outside to protest her detention.
You can watch the clip here
Gandhi was stopped from leaving Lucknow yesterday
Gandhi—who was expected to meet victims of the Lakhimpur Kheri incident—was initially stopped from leaving Lucknow on Sunday and placed under house arrest. She, however, left her home on foot and started walking, and then left in a car. Her convoy had to take many alternate routes as heavy security was deployed at toll plazas on the way from Lucknow to Lakhimpur Kheri.
'Not committing crime by meeting victims' kin'
On her way, Gandhi also released a video on Twitter criticizing the UP Police for stopping her. Gandhi said, "The way the farmers are being trampled in this country, I have no words." She added, "This is the farmers' country, not the BJP's...I'm not committing any crime by deciding to meet the victims' kin...Why are you stopping us?... You should have a warrant."
'BJP's politics trying to trample farmers'
Gandhi using incident for political tourism: BJP
Meanwhile, UP Minister Sidharth Nath Singh slammed Gandhi for using the incident for "political tourism." "We have seen Priyanka Gandhi Vadra doing political tourism earlier. It is an attempt to hamper the probe and manipulate public opinion. This shouldn't happen," he said. "They should at least wait for 24 hours or visit after there's a result to the probe," he added.
