Priyanka Gandhi Slams BJP Over Attack on Samajwadi Party Worker

'Do we want this kind of a State?', Priyanka Gandhi slams UP CM over attack on Samajwadi Party woman

Congress General Secretary Priyanka Gandhi slammed the Uttar Pradesh government for its inaction and asked why the victim was not given immediate protection.

(Photo: Altered by The Quint)

Priyanka Gandhi has slammed the BJP-led Uttar Pradesh government after meeting with a Samajwadi Party worker who was attacked when she went to file her nomination earlier this month.

While attacking the Yogi Adityanath government over the violence that took place during the local polls, Gandhi said:

"Every woman in India has a right – (to be) protected by the Constitution – to fight elections."

Priyanka Gandhi

Election From Lakhimpur District Should Be Cancelled

A disturbing video that shows the Samajwadi Party worker being manhandled, and her saree being yanked, had sent shockwaves, prompting sharp questions by critics and Ppposition leaders on the state of law and order in UP.

Demanding that elections be held again in Lakhimpur Kheri district, where the incident happened, Gandhi said:

"It was her (the SP worker's) constitutional right to fight the election. It has been snatched from her... she went to file the nomination. She was attacked. Her saree was yanked. Her son was with her. Nobody stopped those who attacked her. The police officer who tried to stop this was suspended. The administration is silent."

Priyanka Gandhi

Calling for the cancellation of election from Lakhimpur district, Gandhi further said:

"In such a case of violence, the election is usually cancelled. But the election was still held. Doesn't she have the right to fight the election? Anybody can come with 10 goons and indulge in violence. Is this our democracy? Do we want this kind of state?"

Priyanka Gandhi

Later, Gandhi tweeted that she will write to the State Election Commission on the "violence orchestrated by the BJP against all the sisters and citizens during the panchayat elections. "

She took up the issue on Saturday as she began her two-day visit to state capital Lucknow – as the Congress tries to regain lost ground ahead of state elections next year.

She has often picked the issue of safety of women to hit out at CM Yogi Adityanath.