Lalu slams Mayawati over Rahul

Lalu Prasad condemned the Mayawati Govt for stopping Rahul Gandhi from interacting with students of a university in Kanpur, saying the action was "absolutely wrong".

Railway Minister Lalu Prasad on Friday condemned the Mayawati government for stopping Rahul Gandhi from interacting with students of a university in Kanpur, saying the action was "absolutely wrong".

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"This is absolutely wrong and not acceptable in a democratic system. This act of Mayawati is self-destructing. No government should impose such sanctions for achieving their political motives," said Prasad.

Citing the example of late parliamentarian Raj Narain who was locked in a legal dispute with former Prime Minister Indira Gandhi, Prasad said, "Raj Narain was never stopped from holding meetings, rallies or any other types of interactions with public despite his differences with the then Prime Minister."

"In this democratic system, freedom of speech is a fundamental right. Mayawati cannot deprive any person of this privilege. Mayawati's actions would lead her to nowhere."

Rahul had gone to the Chandrasekhar Azad University where he found the doors of the auditorium, where he was scheduled to hold the interaction, locked.

Sources said the Vice Chancellor of the university had given instructions to cancel Friday's programme. However, Rahul went ahead with his programme of meeting the students at the university cafeteria.