Priyanka slams UP government over selfie controversy: ‘Is taking pictures with me a crime?’
Congress general secretary Priyanka Gandhi on Wednesday took a jibe at the Yogi Adityanath government after reports of an alleged probe against women constables of the UP Police who had clicked pictures with her. After a picture of UP women constables taking selfies with a Congress leader surfaced, there were several reports suggesting that the Yogi government is planning to launch a probe against the police.
The Congress leader, who was stopped by the Uttar Pradesh Police from going to Agra to meet the family members of a man in Lucknow who died in police custody but was later allowed to proceed, also questioned Whether merely clicking pictures is a crime.
“The news says that Yogi ji got so upset with this picture that he wants to take action against these women policemen. If taking pictures with me is a crime, then I should also be punished. It doesn’t suit the government. To spoil the career of hardworking and loyal police personnel”, he tweeted along with the picture.
Meanwhile, the Congress also claimed that the actions of the Uttar Pradesh government showed that it was upset over the rising popularity of party leader Priyanka Gandhi Vadra and said it was a sign of things to come.
Congress spokesperson Gaurav Vallabh said that wherever Priyanka Gandhi goes to meet people affected by violence or crime, the state government imposes section 144 of CrPC and prevents her from meeting her. “What does this show? It shows that the Uttar Pradesh government has abandoned Priyanka Gandhi and her popularity,” he said, alleging that the BJP-led state government is now involved in “small things”.
He asked if it was a crime or it was against the law to stand by someone who has lost someone.
Vallabh claimed, “It also reflects the fear of the UP government and the fact that they have seen things to come because of their rapidly growing popularity.”
Party spokesperson Anshu Awasthi said that the police allowed the Congress to leave for Agra on Wednesday evening.
Awasthi said that the Lucknow Police has given permission to four people, including UPCC President Ajay Kumar Lallu and senior leader Acharya Pramod Krishnam, to accompany Priyanka Gandhi.
Police said the Congress general secretary was stopped on the Lucknow-Agra Expressway as the Agra District Magistrate did not allow any political personality to go there after the man’s death.
Earlier also, Vadra was prevented from meeting the farmer of Lakhimpur violence and before that he was stopped from meeting a rape victim in Hathras.
Read also: After brief detention, Priyanka Gandhi was allowed to meet the family of the man killed in police custody
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