Rajasthan Congress stages protest against detention of Rahul Gandhi, Priyanka Gandhi

Rajasthan Congress held a sit-in protest here on Thursday after party leaders Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi Vadra were detained by the Uttar Pradesh Police while walking towards Hathras to meet the family of a Dalit woman who died after being allegedly gang-raped. Cabinet ministers, MLAs and party workers took part in the protest.

"I condemn strongly the way UP police has detained Congress leader Rahul Gandhi ji & Priyanka Gandhi ji illegally. They misbehaved with Rahul ji. This is undemocratic & brutal use of force. UP BJP Govt's attempt to harass opposition leaders like this is reprehensible," Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot said in a tweet. "UP BJP Govt's actions smacks of political vendetta. They are acting in a dictatorial manner," he said in another tweet.

Earlier in the day, the vehicles of Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi were stopped on the Yamuna Expressway in Greater Noida when they were going towards Hathras. The leaders were detained for violation of prohibitory orders after they got out of the vehicles and started to walk. Around 150 Congress workers were detained as well. 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.

Rajasthan Congress president Govind Singh Dotasra also condemned the detention. He said Congress' fight will continue till the end of "Modi rule and Yogi rule". He said that the Congress will stand with everyone, including farmers, if atrocities are committed on them.

The 19-year-old Dalit woman was allegedly raped by four upper-caste men in Hathras on September 14 and referred to the Safdarjung Hospital in Delhi on September 28 with spinal cord injuries, paralysis and cuts in her tongue. She died the next day.

(This story has not been edited by Devdiscourse staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)