Pics: Spoorthi Ullal/Umesh Marpalli

Daijiworld Media Network – Mangaluru/Udupi (ANK/HB)

Mangaluru, Jul 20: District Congress members staged protest here at Congress office on Saturday, July 20, against the detention of party’s general secretary Priyanka Gandhi by Uttar Pradesh (UP) government.

Addressing the protestors, former minister Ramanath Rai said, "Ten people were gunned down and Priyanka Gandhi had visited the victims at the hospital. Later on her way to the vicitms’ residence, she was stopped and denied permission to visit the victims’ families. BJP government are not in favour of the dalits and weaker section.

“Congress members fought for freedom and went to jail. Unfortunately, we are labelled as traitors and those who have ben to jail in criminal cases are ruling and they are portrayed as patriots. We condemn the detention of Priyanka Gandhi,” he said.

Former MLA Abhayachandra Jain said, "After BJP came to power, crimes have increased. BJP government are not in favour of the poor and weaker section. We condemn the fact that Priyanka Gandhi was stopped from visiting the families of the victims who were gunned down.

“In Karnataka, BJP are trying to poach our MLAs in order to destabilise the government. BJP are trying to play cheap politics,” he said.

Congress stages protest in Udupi, condemns UP government

District zilla Congress committee members and party leaders staged protest in front of Congress Bhavan here on Saturday, July 20 against UP government which detained Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi.

Ashok Kumar Kodavoor, president of district Congress committee, “We strongly condemn the act of UP government that detained Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi, when she went to meet the victims’ families in Sonbhadra where 10 people were gunned down this week. It is an effort to make her voiceless. This should not be done with her as she is a strong leader.”

Congress leader Nagesh Udyavar said, “This protest is against UP government which is following anti-democracy policy. Priyanka Gandhi went to meet the families on humanitarian ground, but Yogi Adityanath government stopped her on the way. Why is Yogi scared about Priyanka and Congress party?

“Congress has been working for people and responded to their grievances constantly. Assault on minorities, mob lynching and dalits is happening in UP. People should understand these facts. Earlier, our nation was known for diverse culture, multiple languages, and diversity in geography, but today it is changing. BJP has come to power through religious polarization. Congress is not just a party, but it is a movement. Congress wiped tears of people,” he said.

Jyothi Hebbar, vice president of district Congress women wing, said, “Yogi Adityanath must be scared of Priyanka Gandhi or Congress party. If not, then he is definitely scared of women power. Congress has been condemning the dual policy of BJP. They are not allowing women to come up even after saying she is mother, God etc. A new Gandhian movement is required to prevent communalism in the nation. It is our right to protest. Changing Constitution is not an easy task because Bhagavad Geetha is also Constitution. It helped in the unification of India. Congress has always stuck to its own principles and policies. Do not try to suppress democracy. Yogi Adityanath led government is now in power, but it is not at all permanent. Nation was built by love, sacrifice and kindness (friendship). Let Priyanka be allowed to meet the families and console them. Let UP government do its duty,” she said.

Prakhyatha Shetty, vice president, district Congress, Vishwas Amin, president, youth wing, Chandika Shetty, Satish Amin Padukere, Bhaskar Rao Kediyur, Janardhana Bhandarkar, Yatish Karkera, Kiran Kumar and others were present.