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Akhilesh Yadav to lead march on first day of Monsoon session; Samajwadi Party leaders detained on way to Vidhan Bhavan in Lucknow
Samajwadi Party leaders detained as they attempt to reach legislature building to stage sit-in at Chaudhary Charan Singh statue in Lucknow
Samajwadi Party (SP) chief Akhilesh Yadav will lead a march from the party headquarters to the Vidhan Bhavan on the first day of the monsoon session of the state legislature on September 19 to protest against the allegedly poor law and order situation, rising inflation and unemployment. The march will also attempt to draw attention towards the issues concerning the youths, farmers and women.
An announcement in this regard was made by the party’s chief whip and former minister Manoj Pandey at the SP headquarters on Wednesday evening.
SP LEADERS DETAINED AND STOPPED AT PARTY HEADQUARTERS
The police administration stopped the party legislators from leaving the party headquarters for Vidhan Bhavan where they were scheduled to hold a sit-in at Chaudhary Charan Singh statue on Wednesday afternoon.
“We were forcibly stopped at the gates of SP headquarters and taken to Eco Garden. We continued our sit-in there till 2pm amid rain. The police used force,” said Pandey, while pointing towards an injury in his arm.
The SP leaders were detained as they, carrying placards, tried to leave the party headquarters for the sit-in at the Vidhan Bhavan.
“Besides 15 legislators, 17 other party leaders were also taken into custody,” said Pandey. Other party leaders said two MLAs, who reached gate number 7 of the Vidhan Bhavan, were also taken into custody.
The SP had announced protests up to 2pm at the Chaudhary Charan Singh statue at Vidhan Bhavan from September 14 to 18. Pandey said the party has deferred this sit-in programme for now and party chief Akhilesh Yadav would lead the march to Vidhan Bhavan on September 19. He said the SP’s sitting and former legislators will take part in the march. The party’s plan to hold the protests on issues of public interest would continue till the end of the Monsoon session.
AKHILESH CONDEMNS POLICE ACTION
Later, SP chief Akhilesh Yadav, in a press statement, condemned the police action and said the state government was acting in an undemocratic manner.
The police action was a conspiracy to muzzle the voice of the people, he alleged.
He also said the party leaders were detained at their residences on Tuesday evening and were not allowed to move out on Wednesday.
Those detained included SP state president Naresh Uttam Patel, former minister Arvind Singh Gope and Ravidas Mehrotra.
Heavy deployment of police was made at the entry gates and around Vidhan Bhavan and the police checked entry cards and the IDs of those reaching there.
Joint commissioner of police Piyush Mordia told reporters outside the SP office, “There is no permission to stage a protest at the legislative assembly. The protestors are being taken to Eco-Garden, which is the designated spot for protests in the city.” However, party leaders opposed the police action.
“The government should stop killing democracy. The police did not allow SP MLAs, who were going to stage protests to raise issues of public interest in the legislative assembly to leave their homes. Now, police are also stopping the media, the fourth pillar of democracy, from speaking to the MLAs,” said a tweet in Hindi from the party’s official handle.
