The police have set up roadblocks at the Delhi-Noida overpass to arrest Rahul Gandhi
Highlight
- Nothing in the world can stop me from going to Hathras: Rahul Gandhi
- He will be accompanied by Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, other party leaders
- Sources said Mr. Gandhi will be detained at the Delhi-UP border
New Delhi:
Congressman Rahul Gandhi will make another attempt this afternoon to travel to Hathras in Uttar Pradesh and speak to the family of the 20-year-old Dalit woman who was gang-raped and murdered, and whose body was secretly cremated by the police in a ceremony at 2.30 am.
A delegation of party leaders that will include Priyanka Gandhi Vadra wants to speak with the young woman’s family, who have been traumatized first by the savage assault and then by the alleged inaction of the Police and the UP government.
“Nothing in the world can prevent me from going to Hathras to meet this unhappy family and share their grief,” Gandhi tweeted this morning.
However, shortly after, the Hathras subdivision magistrate, Prem Prakash Meena, said that Gandhi would not be allowed to enter the village, whose access has been cut off by the UP government and where warrants are in force. prohibition of large concentrations.
“Rahul Gandhi is not allowed … currently any political party leader is prohibited from coming,” Meena told ANI news agency, adding: “When orders come in to allow delegations, we will let everyone know.”
Sources have told NDTV that Gandhi may not even make it all the way to the village, with UP police poised to stop them at the Delhi-Noida border. Images shared online by ANI show police putting up barricades on the Delhi-Noida direct air route in preparation for Gandhi’s arrival.
On Thursday, both Mr. Gandhi and Ms. Gandhi Vadra were arrested in UP’s Greater Noida (near Delhi) and briefly detained. Gandhi was abused and pushed to the ground by the police in that fight, sparking outrage at the UP government’s handling of opposition leaders.
“Why am I being arrested? What are the reasons for the arrest? What law am I breaking,” Mr. Gandhi could be heard saying in dramatic videos of the confrontation with the police, who said they were charging him with “Section 188” – a law about defying official orders.
A case was subsequently brought against Mr. Gandhi and Ms. Gandhi Vadra under the Law on Epidemics.
Hathras rape case: Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi were arrested on Thursday (archive)
The next day (Friday, which turned out to be Gandhi Jayanti), Gandhi tweeted: “I will not be afraid … I will not bow down to injustice of any kind. I will defeat lies with the power of truth …”
The police action against Gandhi was condemned by various opposition leaders, including Shiv Sena’s Sanjay Raut, NCP’s Sharad Pawar, and RJD’s Tejashwi Yadav.
Before today’s visit, Congress has affirmed that its head of state, Ajay Kumar Lallu, has been placed under house arrest.
“political trick”.
Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, whose resignation has been demanded by activists and the opposition, made a statement of his government’s commitment to the safety of women on Friday. “Those who even think of harming mothers and daughters in UP, their destruction is assured,” she tweeted in Hindi.
Angry protests against the police and government have taken place across the country, including one in the national capital Delhi on Friday where Prime Minister Arvind Kejriwal appeared and demanded that the four defendants be executed. .
The Allahabad High Court has taken up the case and has summoned senior government and police officials to appear before it on 12 October.
In its notification, the court said the matter was of “immense public importance … it involves an accusation of arrogance by state authorities, resulting in a violation of fundamental and human rights.”
With contributions from ANI
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