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Congress protesters defy ban, arrested in Lucknow

- Photo: Subir Roy

Protest march: Congress workers during a "Nayya March" (Justice March) in Lucknow on Monday in protest against the Mayawati Government's failure to check crime against women.

LUCKNOW: Uttar Pradesh Congress president Rita Bahuguna Joshi and hundreds of party workers were arrested here on Monday for defying prohibitory orders after the police resorted to lathi-charge to prevent them from marching towards Vidhan Bhavan. The party was protesting against rising crime against women and “deteriorating law and order” in the State.

Several party men were injured in the police action. Congress Legislature Party leader Pramod Tiwari and the former Chief Minister Ram Naresh Yadav were among those detained and taken to the Reserve Police Lines here.

Earlier, the workers had assembled at the Bal Sangrahalaya ground near Charbagh railway station defying the ban on nyay yatra (march for justice) and prohibitory orders imposed under Section 144 of Cr.PC here on Sunday. Addressing them, the PCC president criticised the Mayawati government for the increasing incidents of rape of minor girls. She said women and minor girls were feeling unsafe under the present regime.

As more and more Congress workers gathered on the ground, the entire area was cordoned off. But they, led by Ms. Joshi, walked down Station Road raising anti-government slogans. They were prevented from proceeding further by a huge police force which placed barricades near Jai Narain Degree College tri-section. A scuffle ensued between the workers and the security personnel, who resorted to lathi-charge and used water cannon to disperse the agitators. Later Ms. Joshi along with other Congress members was hauled into waiting vehicles and taken to the police lines.

The ruling Bahujan Samaj Party slammed the Congress for taking out the nyay yatra despite the prohibitory orders. Describing the march as a “political gimmick”, a BSP spokesman said the Congress' plan was to disturb law and order.

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