Sonbhadra Firing: Priyanka, in detention, allowed to meet victims' families
Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, who was on Friday stopped from meeting families of those who died in Sonbhadra mass firing, finally had a word with them on Saturday. Since Priyanka wasn't permitted to "leave", the villagers came to see her. She has been detained since yesterday. To recall, a shootout over land dispute in a UP village killed 10 people and injured over 20, earlier this week.
Understanding how a land dispute turned deadly in UP
For the uninitiated, the Sonbhadra firing started over a disputed 36 acres land. While village chief Yagya Dutt claimed he purchased the land two years ago, Gond community members said the land couldn't be sold as it belongs to society. On Wednesday, Dutt came to take "possession" of the land. When villagers protested, his henchmen opened fire. Out of ten deceased, three are women.
Priyanka's convoy was stopped mid-way, she was detained
Priyanka was one of the first Opposition leaders to express discontent over the incident. On Friday, she landed in Varanasi and paid a visit to BHU's Trauma Center, where some of the victims are undergoing treatment. She was then slated to visit Ubha village, the epicenter of the massacre, but her convoy was stopped mid-way. As she refused to move, she was taken away.
Pulling Congress out of slumber, Priyanka led charge against BJP
With her actions, Priyanka infused some energy into Congress, which has been sulking after the 2019 elections rout. In her first reaction to the incident, she asked why is the administration sleeping. "Is this how the state will become crime-free?" she asked. On Friday, while she was taken away into the government vehicle, Priyanka said she would not be cowed down.
Ironically, families of victims had to come to meet Priyanka
Interestingly, a defiant Priyanka spent the night at Chunar guest house in Mirzapur. She exited the guest house this morning to meet the victims' families, but police stopped her from doing so. However, by then the kin of the victims had arrived to meet her. Out of 15 people who came, only two were "allowed" to meet Priyanka, giving her more reasons to attack BJP.
Further, Priyanka asked why victims' families were stopped
"Two relatives of victims have come here to meet me, 15 others are not being allowed to meet me. Even I am not being allowed to meet them. God knows what their mindset is," Priyanka said in the morning.
Priyanka urged media to build pressure on administration
Separately, TMC's Derek O'Brien was 'detained' at Varanasi airport
As it turns out, other Opposition leaders also followed Priyanka's footsteps. Derek O'Brien of the Trinamool arrived at Varanasi to meet the victims of families. However, Derek along with his party colleagues Sunil Mondal and Abhir Ranjan Biswas were "detained". "We told them we cannot be detained under Section 144 as we are only three," Derek said in a video.
