UP Congress workers protest against detention of Rahul, Priyanka

The party had given a call for protest soon after the detention of Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi Vadra while they were on their way to meet the family of the Hathras victim. The in-charge of the party administration, Siddhartpriy Srivastava, wrote to all district and city unit presidents, asking them to hold immediate dharnas against the behaviour of the UP Police.

(Eds: With updates) Lucknow, Oct 1 (PTI ) Congress workers protested in parts of Uttar Pradesh against the detention of party leaders Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi Vadra while on their way to Hathras to meet the family of the woman who died at a Delhi hospital after she was allegedly raped. On a call for a statewide protest, party workers held demonstrations, blocked roads and 'gheraoed' officials, a Congress spokesman said.

In Lucknow, Congress Legislature Party leader Aradhana Misra and MLC Dipak Singh staged a march towards the chief minister's residence when police stopped them and indulged in a lathicharge, the spokesman said. They were detained and taken to the Eco Garden from where they were released later in the evening.

Party workers also held a candlelight meeting at Shaheed Smarak in Lucknow to pay homage to the victim who died at a Delhi hospital on Tuesday. Protests were also help in Mirzapur, Unnao, Sitapur and Mau besides other places, he said.

In Mau, Congress workers protested near the Ballia turn, blocking the traffic. They also clashed with police, leading to the arrest of district unit president Intakhab Alam and others, a report said. The party had given a call for protest soon after the detention of Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi Vadra while they were on their way to meet the family of the Hathras victim.

The in-charge of the party administration, Siddhartpriy Srivastava, wrote to all district and city unit presidents, asking them to hold immediate dharnas against the behaviour of the UP Police. We Congress workers will not tolerate this kind of behaviour of the state police with our leaders and so the UP Congress Committee has decided to hold immediate dharnas in all assembly segments, he said in the letter.

Earlier on Thursday, the Congress leaders and around 150 party workers were detained for the violation of prohibitory orders while walking towards Hathras. Rahul Gandhi fell down in a scuffle after police tried to stop him and his supporters from proceeding on the Yamuna Expressway near the Jewar toll plaza..