"Anarchy In UP": State Congress Chief Says He Is Under House Arrest

Uttar Pradesh Congress chief Ajay Kumar Lallu has said that he has been placed under "house arrest" amid protests by his party over the alleged gang rape and murder of the 20-year-old woman from UP's Hathras, who died in Delhi on Tuesday. Attacking Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, the Congress leader today said: "In Uttar Pradesh, the Yogi Adityanath government has crossed all the limits of anarchy."

"The police came to my home at 1:30 AM last night. They tried to break the door of my house. When I wake up in the morning and I ask them why are they at my place, they tell me a case has been registered against me. I am asked to appear at the Hazratganj station in Lucknow on October 9. They hand me over a notice," the UP Congress chief told NDTV.

He has accused the government of targetting him and his party members because the Congress has been protesting againt the alleged gang rape-murder incident. "After 4 AM, I am told that I am under house arrest. Is it wrong to protest against injustice? I am not being allowed to leave. What is it that the UP government wants to hide?"

"The government is scared. Nobody is being allowed to go. I want to ask Yogi ji... if Rahul ji wanted to go to Hathras on Thursday and he and Priyanka ji said they will go alone, even then they were thrashed by police. Congress workers were injured. They did not hurt Rahul Gandhi... they have hurt the feelings of women whose self-esteem Rahul ji was trying to protect," the 41-year-old Congress leader said, reffering to the tussle between Rahul Gandhi and the cops when he was on his way to Hathras on Thursday to meet the victim's family.

"A video of an MLA shows him saying the whole matter can be settled in Rs 25 lakh. I want to ask why isn't the Chief Minister resigning."

His remark come as the ex-Congress chief and his sister Priyanka Gandhi Vadra attempt another visit to Hathras to meet the grieving family this afternoon. 

The death of the 20-year-old woman, who was gang raped about two weeks ago and tortured, according to the family, has triggered widespread protests across the nation. Yesterday, a massive protest was held in Delhi that saw participation of Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal and CPM's Sitaram Yechury.