Cops caught me by the neck, says Priyanka
LUCKNOW: In spite of attempts by the police to stop her, Congress general secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra on Saturday reached the residence of former IPS officer-turned-activist SR Darapuri, who was arrested for protesting against the Citizenship Amendment Act in Lucknow last week.
Accusing the BJP government of ‘suppressing the people’s voice’, she confirmed the police tried to stop her when she was going to meet family members of the former IPS officer.
High drama was witnessed near the 1090 crossing as the police tried to stop Priyanka who later said the police action to stop her could not be justified.
She objected to the manner in which the police stopped her there. Later, she walked several kilometres and then rode pillion on a party worker’s scooty to reach the IPS officer’s residence and met his family members.
Narrating the incident to media persons, Priyanka said there were four to five persons in the car and she wanted to visit SR Darapuri’s house without inviting much attention.
“All of a sudden a police vehicle came ahead of our vehicle and asked us not to go further. I was not being allowed to come to the place of SR Darapuri who was speaking up for non-violent protests. His wife is ill and she
was crying. They caught me by neck. I fell down. I was pushed by women police…But I continued. I have come riding on a scooty,” Priyanka said, asking, “Why is all this happening?”
SSP of Lucknow Kalanidhi Naithani, however, denied allegations of harassment.
“Circle officer Archana Singh, who was appointed as the officer in charge of the security, has reported that the cavalcade of Congress general secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra was not going as per the scheduled route. On this, Singh asked her about the place she was headed to so that her security could be arranged in advance. This information was refused to be shared and the Congress leader stated walking on foot. The allegation of manhandling is false and the officer performed her duties with dedication,” Naithani said.
UPCC spokesman Ashok Singh said, “A Dy SP rank woman officer tried to stop Priyanka’s vehicle by parking a police vehicle. She was pushed by women police. She walked about eight kilometres and rode pillion on a party’s worker scooty to reach Darapuri’s residence.”
Circle officer, Gomti Nagar, Lucknow, Santosh Singh said Priyanka Gandhi’s convoy was stopped because it was not following the pre-scheduled route.
“When enquired, they refused to reveal where they were headed and so, as per protocol, their vehicle was stopped,” Singh said.
Priyanka, who was supposed to return to New Delhi on Saturday, has stayed back in Lucknow and will now meet party workers here.