Cong workers protest at party's UP HQ against govt decision to not allow buses, arrest Lallu

Lucknow, May 20 (PTI) Congress workers on Wednesday staged a dharna at the party headquarters here against the Uttar Pradesh government for denying permission to the buses sent by it to transport migrant labourers and the arrest of UPCC president Ajay Kumar Lallu. While maintaining social distancing, party workers staged a dharna at the Uttar Pradesh Congress Committee (UPCC) headquarters holding banners and placards with messages against Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath and the state government, media convenor of the party Lallan Kumar said.

A peaceful protest was staged at the Congress office against the state government's move to stop the buses arranged by the party, the arrest of the UPCC president and lodging of "fake" cases against party leaders, Lallan Kumar said. He said similar dharnas took place in different districts of the state over these issues.

In Amethi, the district unit led by president Pradeep Singhal staged a dharna at the party office in Gauriganj against Lallu's arrest, district unit spokesperson Anil Singh said. He said the party workers and leaders who took part in the dharna condemned the "stubborn attitude" of the state's chief minister for not accepting Congress' offer of 1,000 buses to transport migrant workers. Lallan Kumar also said the fleet of buses arranged by the party was still parked at the UP-Rajasthan border awaiting the response of the Uttar Pradesh government.

"Our party leader Priyanka Gandhi had offered buses to safely ferry the migrant labourers but the government has so far failed to respond to it in a positive manner. We are still waiting for their reply and the buses are still parked on the UP-Rajasthan border," Lallan Kumar added. PTI SAB RDM RDM