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Congress general secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, who has hit the streets on several occasions to protest the amended Citizenship Act, on Monday amped up the pitch against the law with a sharp attack on Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath and his government’s effort to crush the protests.
“I think it is happening for the first time that a Chief Minister has made a statement like ‘badla liya jaega (we will take revenge)’. And this is what is happening in the state,” she said while addressing a press conference in Lucknow.
Elaborating further, the Congress leader said that innocent protesters are targeted by the state police and administration.
“I went to meet a family in Bijnor. Their 21-year-old son Suleman, who had come home on vacation, had gone to the local mosque for namaz. Suddenly, the news came that he has been hit by a police bullet,” Gandhi said.
Suleman was killed during protests against the new legislation on December 20. His family claims he was shot by the police during protest and on Sunday filed an FIR against six policemen. After initial denials, the police had admitted that Suleman died from a police bullet and that he was among the alleged rioters who opened fire at a cop from a country-made gun and that he was shot in self-defence.
“There was another boy, who was a coffee machine operator. He told his father that he is going out to get some milk. His father warned him that bad things are happening outside. He said he’ll be back in five minutes. But five minutes later, someone came running to his father saying he has been shot dead,” she added.
“And to add to family’s woes,” the Congress leader said, “they were threatened of dire consequences if they though about filing an FIR.”
She also claimed that more than 5,000 people have been detained across the state, and many others clandestinely.
The Congress general secretary lashed out at the Uttar Pradesh government for arresting people without any enquiry. “The administration should hold an enquiry to determine who indulged in arson. The government cannot take action without inquiry,” Gandhi said.
“This country’s soul has no place for violence. Krishna and Rama preached kindness. The CM (Yogi Adityanath) has saffron robe, he should follow religion,” she said.
The Congress leader said in her interaction with the media that Congress has sent a letter to Governor Anandiben Patel which says the steps taken by the UP government do not have legal sanctions. “The police is sticking to chief minister’s statement of taking revenge,” Gandhi said.
Priyanka Gandhi has been meeting the families of those who have been arrested for protesting against the citizenship act.
On Saturday, she had met the family of retired Indian Police Service (IPS) officer SR Darapuri, who has been arrested in connection with the recent anti-citizenship amendment act stir in the capital of Uttar Pradesh.
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