Moradabad: The Uttar Pradesh Congress chief Rita Bahugana Joshi is finally out of jail after the Moradabad local court granted her an interim bail on Saturday.
On Thursday, Rita was arrested and sent on 14-day judicial custody for making derogatory remarks against state Chief Minister Mayawati.
"I raised issues concerning women and apologised for the term I used to voice my concern. Even after that, Mayawati slammed a section on me, which was inappropriate and illegal and therefore I got bail in a span of two days," Rita said.
Under pressure, the UP Police registered a case against two BSP leaders -- Lucknow BSP chief Intezaar Ali and Jitender singh Babloo.
But that was not good enough for the Congress. Moments later, the Congress party released several photos alleging that the Lucknow police just stood around and did nothing when Rita Bahuguna Joshi's house, located in a VIP part of the city, was being set on fire.
When contacted by NDTV, the police officers denied these charges.
"We did not reach the spot with the BSP workers. Whatever is being shown is wrong," said Bhagwan Singh Gabariyal, Additional SP.
Rita Bahuguna Joshi may have got bail but for the Congress party, the battle has just begun in UP.
"My information is that the policemen went in and took out the servants. They then allowed the holligans to go in and this happened at the behest of the Chief Minister. We would not sit quiet until the state government recommends a CBI inquiry," said Digvijay Singh, general secretary, Congress.
BSP chief Mayawati, however, was quick with her political response.
"I challenge that the whatever the Congress has done in 40 years I have done in two years. I ask the 'Prince of the Congress' to ask questions on development to the Gandhi family rather than the BSP," she said.
It's clear that the face-off between the Congress and the BSP is now getting more and more intense.