Chandigarh/ New Delhi:
Congress leader Navjot Singh Sidhu this evening warned the Uttar Pradesh government that the Punjab Congress will lead a march to Lakhimpur district – where violence erupted on Sunday, killing eight people – if the accused is not arrested, and Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, who is in police custody since yesterday, is not released.
If, by tomorrow, the Union Minister’s son behind the brutal murder of Farmers is not arrested, and our leader @PriyankaGandhi being unlawfully arrested, fighting for farmers is not released, the Punjab Congress will march towards Lakhimpur Kheri ! @INCIndia@INCPunjab
— Navjot Singh Sidhu (@sherryontopp) October 5, 2021
“If, by tomorrow, the Union Minister’s son behind the brutal murder of Farmers is not arrested, and our leader @PriyankaGandhi being unlawfully arrested, fighting for farmers is not released, the Punjab Congress will march towards Lakhimpur Kheri! (sic),” Mr Sidhu tweeted.
Priyanka Gandhi Vadra said she was arrested “illegally” in Uttar Pradesh’s Sitapur on Monday when she was headed to Lakhimpur where eight people, including four farmers, were killed on Sunday. Violence erupted in the UP district, about 400 km from Sunday, when farmers were protesting against BJP leaders.
No arrest has been made in the Lakhimpur violence incident even though a murder case was filed. Union Minister Ajay Mishra’s son, Ashish, is named as the only accused. Farmers have alleged he was driving a car that ran over eight people.
The Congress has been attacking the BJP over Ms Gandhi Vadra’s arrest, saying no arrest memorandum has been shared. Priyanka Gandhi said she was “manhandled, pushed and shoved” during the confrontation. Today, former Union Minister P Chidambaram, while talking to NDTV, said, “No woman can be arrested before sunrise.”
The Congress has also been questioning why the accused is still free.
Earlier in the day, Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel began a sit-in outside Lucknow airport as he was stopped by the state police when he was on his way to meet Ms Gandhi Vadra.
