Lucknow: Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi Vadra were stopped by the UP police today from entering Uttar Pradesh’s Meerut. Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi Vadra had started this morning for Meerut in an SUV to meet the families of those killed in protests against the citizenship law last week.
In protests against the Citizenship (Amendment) Act (CAA), around six people have been killed in Meerut, with the total death toll reaching 18 in Uttar Pradesh state alone. Over 800 have been detained and 21,500 have been booked in the state for violence against Citizenship Amendment Act.
The police reportedly told the Congress leaders that they cannot visit Meerut, a town about 60 km from Delhi, as a ban on large gatherings is in place. The convoy then turned back to Delhi.
“We asked the police if they have any order, they didn’t show us any order but they just said you can please go back,” said Rahul Gandhi.
The Gandhis were told they could postpone their visit. According to Congress, they offered to travel in a group of three people but were still not allowed to go ahead.
On Saturday, Priyanka Gandhi had visited Bijnore – where two men had died — without being stopped. The Congress general secretary met the families of the two victims.
On Friday, protesters in Meerut burnt vehicles and threw stones at the police, who used lathi-charge and tear gas shells.
The Internet was suspended after the violence. 18 people have died in violent protests across Uttar Pradesh against the Citizenship (Amendment) Act, which grants citizenship to Hindus, Sikhs, Jains, Parsis, Buddhists, and Christians fleeing religious persecution in Muslim-dominated nations Pakistan, Afghanistan and Bangladesh if they came to India before 2015. It is the first law that makes religion a criterion for citizenship. Critics say the law discriminates against Muslims and violates the secular principles enshrined in the constitution.