Senior Congress leaders including legislators, former MPs and Ministers took out a silent march up to Raj Bhawan to register their protest against UP Government action on its Varanasi MlA, Ajai Rai, on Monday.
They also submitted a memorandum to Governor Ram Naik demanding immediate intervention on invoking of National Security Act (NSA) against party MlA, who was arrested over alleged role in the violence and arson during a march by seers last week.
The party alleged that the action was unwanted and initiated at behest of the Centre. The march which was led by AICC general secretary and in-charge of Uttar Pradesh Madhushan Mistri and other senior leaders covered around one kilometre from party’s State headquarters to Raj Bhawan on foot. State party president Nirmal Khatri joined the delegation of Congress party at Raj Bhawan later.
Talking to mediapersons soon after his meeting with the Governor, Mistri said they had handed over a three-page memorandum demanding immediate release of the Congress MlA arrested under NSA and judicial probe into the entire incident of police atrocities.
He alleged the arrest of the MlA was on the behest of PM Narendra Modi, as the State Government was trying to please the PM. “Why has the Government made a selective NSA case against Congress MlA when three other legislators of the BJP were also present during the violence,” Mistri charged.