Lucknow: Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi here on Monday hit out at Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, saying there is no place for violence or “revenge” in the country.
In a jibe at the chief minister days after he had said that those who had damaged public assets would be made to pay, the Congress general secretary said saffron denotes Hinduism, a religion that does not advocate violence or “revenge”.
Concluding her four-day visit to Lucknow days after statewide violent clashes over the Citizenship Amendment Act, she told mediapersons that her own security was not a big issue.
“The issue is the safety of the common man in UP,” she said in an apparent reference to her alleged manhandling by the state police.
The Congress leader downplayed the issue of her security, saying it needn’t be discussed.
“The question of my security is not a big one. It is a small question on which there is no need to hold any discussion. I will not raise the issue of security because it is a trivial matter. It has nothing to do with the public,” she said.
Priyanka said, “The public is bothered about what is happening in the state today. There is anarchy; no one has job; there is unemployment; and the women are feeling insecure. There are so many bigger issues, but you are raising trivial issues.”
Earlier in the day, the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) said in a statement in New Delhi that there was no breach in the Congress leader’s security during her visit to Lucknow and blamed her for “violations” for riding pillion on a scooter.
The force, which provides armed commandos under the Z plus security cover to her, said the Congress leader undertook an “unscheduled movement without intimation”.
Therefore, an advanced security liaison could not be conducted, said CRPF Inspector General (Intelligence and VIP Security) PK Singh. (PTI)
