Congress party workers protesting against Modi Government in Allahabad. (Press Trust of India)
Senior Congress leaders and party workers including Uttar Pradesh Congress Committee President Nirmal Khatri and former president Rita Bahuguna Joshi were taken into custody while they were trying to take out a protest march against Modi government's alleged failure to fulfill its polls promises.
The workers, gathered at the party headquarters, were moving towards the Vidhan Sabha when they were stopped, later taken into custody and then sent to the police lines, Congress Spokesman, Dwijendra Tripathi said.
The party workers were taking out a peaceful march which is the fundamental right of any political party against the "failure of the Modi government" on the completion of 100 days, but the administrtion had set up barricades and did not allow us to move ahead, Mr Tripathi said.
The administration had "denied permission" to take out the march on the grounds that election process is underway and the protest was not to be staged anywhere in the Lucknow east assembly constituency where by poll is due, he said.
Before being taken into custody, Mr Khatri said that partymen are only expressing the "anger among the people against the Modi government".
This is the beginning of the anger against the government which has "failed to live upto the expectations" of the people, Mr Khatri said, adding, that this (expression of anger) would continue in future also through different means. The Congress had declared holding of protest marches at all the district headquarters today, coinciding with the 100 days of the Modi government.
"During campaigning, Modi had promised to bring back black money stashed away in foreign banks, check inflation among other things, within the 100 days of forming the government, but they have not yet been fulfilled any of them...Not only eatables, but the rail fares have also gone up during this time", Mr Khatri had said