State Congress to protest violence

LUCKNOW: The Uttar Pradesh Congress has questioned the silence of Prime Minister Narendra Modi over violence against north Indians in Gujarat and decided to hold demonstrations across the state on Tuesday.

Senior Congress leader Pramod Tiwari on Monday said the PM had been speaking on every matter but did not issue an appeal to check violence against north Indians in Gujarat. “We are getting telephone calls from affected people’s families who are worried about the well-being of their near and dear ones. The PM speaks on every issue. Why has he failed to speak on violence against north Indians in Gujarat?” asked Tiwari. “The BJP has been seeking votes in the name of temple for Lord Ram. However, the BJP government has failed to protect the people from the land of Lord Ram working in Gujarat,” said Tiwari.

“Incidentally, north Indian people are being subjected to violence in BJP-ruled states. UP has sent the PM and highest number of BJP MPs to Lok Sabha but the PM and the BJP president are silent on the issue. Is this BJP’s Gujarat model?” asked Tiwari.

Meanwhile, UPCC president Raj Babbar has given a call for demonstrations at all the district headquarters . He also visited Surat and Rajkot areas in Gujarat to make an on the spot assessment of the situation. “This is shameful that such a situation has developed. As Gujarat chief minister Narendra Modi used to say that north Indians felt secured when train reached Gujarat. Now, the same north Indian were being targeted when Modi got elected from UP and became Prime Minister,” he said.

UPCC spokesman Zeeshan Haider said the district party units would hold demonstrations to protest against the BJP-led governments at the Centre and in the state for their failure to check violence in Gujarat.