DS lashes Maya on Rahul Gandhi arrest

Condemning the arrest of All India Congress Committee general secretary Rahul Gandhi in Uttar Pradesh on Wednesday, Pradesh Congress Committee president D Srinivas on Thursday stated that the Mayawati government was ‘most irresponsible and hasty’ in its action. Talking to media persons at Gandhi Bhavan, Mr Srinivas stated that the Uttar Pradesh government, by resorting to arresting Mr Rahul Gandhi, has committed a ‘major blunder’.

The Congress leader had gone to Noida to fight for the farmers’ cause and his arrest was an act of shame, said the APCC chief. He added that the UP government should hang its head down in shame for arresting Mr Gandhi. Mr Srinivas also described the action as ‘dictatorial attitude of the Mayawati government and hailed Mr Rahul Gandhi for taking up the farmers’ cause.

Extending his support to Mr Rahul Gandhi, the PCC chief alleged the UP government, which was elected on the votes of Dalits, had failed to address their problems. Instead of taking welfare measures for the farmers, the Mayawati government was resorting to arrests when they protested, he alleged.

He appealed to farmers of Uttar Pradesh to fight against the dictatorial attitude of Mayawati government. Condemning the attitude of Ms Mayawati, Mr Srinivas said the PCC will organize agitations across the state. He reiterated that the Chief Minister N Kiran Kumar Reddy is committed to welfare of the farmers in the state. Earlier, Congress activists burnt an effigy depicting Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Mayawati.