Lucknow, June 17: Protesting “derogatory remarks” by Chief Minister Mayawati against Mahatma Gandhi, Congress on Wednesday took out a march in the city and handed over a memorandum to Governor T V Rajeswar demanding an apology from the BSP chief or dismissal of her government.
“Chief Minister in her statement issued recently had termed Mahatma Gandhi as ‘natakbaz’, which is derogatory and we protest it,” Congress General Secretary Rajiv Bakshi, who led the march, said.
“Remarks against Gandhiji was against the country’s pride as he is the Father of the Nation. And this will not be tolerated by Congress,” he said.
Bakshi said they had handed over a memorandum to the Governor demanding an apology from the CM or immediate dismissal of the state government.
“If our demands are not met by June 30, we will launch a state wide agitation,” he warned.
Earlier, the march commenced from Tikaitrai Talab area and began to proceed towards Rajbhawan amid tight security.
However, police soon arrested the protesters and later released them.
Ms. Mayawati in a statement issued recently had said that Congressmen were doing “natakbaji” to woo dalits by spending time at their houses. Gandhiji was also involved in such “natakbaji”, she had said.
–PTI