Current affairs

Rahul Gandhi arrest: How the drama unveiled by UP Police sparked fresh national outrage?

By alagu, 01 October, 2020
India, Uttar Pradesh, Violence against Women

Amid deepening outrage that has been centered at the state of Uttar Pradesh over the death of a 19-year-old Dalit woman in Hathras who was gang-raped by four upper-caste men, the recent clampdown from the state police against the Congress party leaders had triggered fresh protests from the members of the Congress party who have been staging protests against the incident and the clampdown across the nation. 

On Thursday, Congress leaders Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi Vadra had reached Uttar Pradesh to visit the family of the gang-rape victim in Hathras. However, ahead of their visit, the state government has imposed a curfew under section 144 and other emergency laws to restrict the leaders and large gatherings in the village amid the outrage. The government has deployed security forces in and around villages and strictly prohibited the unlawful assembly. 

In the middle of the curfew, Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi had started from Delhi on Thursday and the security forces had stopped their convoy on a highway connecting Delhi and Uttar Pradesh while they were traveling to Hathras to meet the family. After their convoy was blocked and restricted entry, the Congress leaders had started walking near Yamuna Expressway. 

As the leaders arrived, hundreds of members from the Congress party had gathered and surrounded them. Visuals from the spot had shown that the police officials were trying to block them and pushing the Gandhis. The spot had witnessed a tussle and melee between the Congress supporters and police officers and the Congress leaders alleged that they were not only stopped by the police but they had also been lathi-charged and pushed to the ground. 

Must -read: Congress leader Rahul Gandhi was arrested on way to Hathras as UP police unfold a clampdown!

Speaking to the media, Rahul Gandhi said, "Just now police pushed me, lathi-charged me and threw me on the ground. I want to ask can only Modiji walk in his country? Can't a normal person walk?". As the Congress leaders marched along with the supporters, the police had arrested Rahul and Priyanka, which further caused a major uproar. Rahul Gandhi asked the police officials under which section he was getting arrested for which the police said they are arresting him under section 188 of IPC for violating the curfew order. 

Following their arrest, they were taken to Buddh International Circuit in Noida and they have been under detention. The visuals that emerged from the spot had made headlines and national and state Congress leaders had staunchly attacked the Central and state ruling party for exercising the clampdown and detaining the leaders for visiting the family members of the gang-raped victim and the development had stirred nationwide protests from the Congress party. 

The Uttar Pradesh Congress party has called for statewide protests against the detention of the Congress party and the state leaders said the party won't tolerate such kind of behavior of the state police. According to reports, the clampdown drama unfolded by the state police had triggered dharnas and roadblocks across India with senior leaders issuing scathing statements against the Center. 

Senior Congress leader P Chidambaram said, "UP police is a law into itself. None of the laws of the country seem to apply to it What is wrong if the leaders of a political party protest against a gruesome crime and wish to visit the victim’s family?". "Why should the UP police arrest the two leaders and take them away? I hope the Court where the leaders will be produced will release them forthwith", the former Central minister added. 

 

Former Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah had condemned the attack and said, "I condemn the attack on Shri. @RahulGandhi in Uttar Pradesh. A wise man once said, Violence is the last refuge of the incompetent. @narendramodi & @myogiadityanath have proved that they draw inspiration from violence". Congress party said, "Nothing will stop those that fight for justice. Not bullets, not batons, not even tyrants". National leaders like Sharad Pawar, HD Kumaraswamy, DK Shivakumar, Raj Babbar, and MK Stalin had sent solidarity to the Gandhis by voicing against the Uttar Pradesh police and government. 

 

According to reports, the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) has taken the matter under suo motu cognizance had issued a notice to the Yogi Adityanath government. The human rights body has directed the state government to provide adequate protection to the family of the deceased. The protests have attained a national scale with the Delhi police arresting at least 80 people who held protests against the Hathras gangrape case. 

 

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