G-23 leaders rally around Priyanka Gandhi after her detention

Kapil Sibal, who is one of the G-23 grouping of Congress leaders, called Priyanka Gandhi’s detention illegal while calling lawlessness a norm in Uttar Pradesh

Amitoj Singh Kalsi

Congress leader Anand Sharma, who is a part of the G-23 grouping, condemned Priyanka Gandhi’s detention and ‘repressive manhandling’. (PTI Photo)

The so-called G-23 grouping leaders, who wrote to Congress chief Sonia Gandhi last year demanding organisational changes, have rallied around Congress general secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra after she was detained in Uttar Pradesh on Monday. Priyanka Gandhi was on her way to Lakhimpur Kheri to meet the families of those killed in violence during a farmer protest on Sunday when she was put under detention.

Kapil Sibal, who is among the leaders of the grouping, called the detention illegal while calling lawlessness a norm in Uttar Pradesh. In a tweet, he added there is a perception that “in such situations violation of personal liberty is guaranteed” in the state. “Instead of prosecuting those responsible, you detain those who seek justice.”

Sibal’s house was vandalised last week after he demanded an open dialogue in Congress. The vandalism sparked criticism from senior Congress leaders.

In a statement, Anand Sharma, who is a part of the grouping, condemned Priyanka Gandhi’s detention and “repressive manhandling”. “Such repressive actions cannot suppress the voice of farmers and call for justice...Justice must prevail.”

In a tweet, Ghulam Nabi Azad, who was among the signatories of the letter to Sonia Gandhi last year, said, “I strongly condemn the high handedness of UP (Uttar Pradesh) police by stopping Mrs Priyanka Gandhi on her way to Lakhimpur Kheri to pay condolences to the family members of kisans (farmers) killed. A judicial probe should be conducted to find out the truth behind the incident in which kisans were killed.”

Congress Member of Parliament Shashi Tharoor said the video of Priyanka Gandhi and Deepender Hooda standing up to police intimidation “stirs the blood”. He tweeted citizens are entitled to know the grounds of their arrest and cannot be manhandled.