Prime Minister Narendra Modi's brother Prahlad Modi staged a dharna at Lucknow airport on Wednesday, 3 February, alleging that the police did not let his supporters meet him there and have detained them.
“After reaching here, I came to know that the workers who were coming to receive me were held by the Lucknow police and made to sit in a police station. Efforts are on to lodge cases against them,” he claimed, according to Deccan Herald.
The dharna was staged for an hour and a half after Prahlad Modi arrived at the Chaudhary Charan Singh International Airport by an Indigo flight around 4pm, noted the airport’s Additional General Manager (Operations) Bhupendra Singh to PTI.
Prahlad told Deccan Herald and other media reporters that, "Is there a law in Uttar Pradesh that prevents people from welcoming someone who has come to their city? I want a copy of that order. Some policemen told me that there were orders from the Prime Minister's Office too. I want to see that order as well.”
Prahlad who is also the vice president of All India Fair Price Shop Dealers' Federation is scheduled to visit Prayagraj, Sultanpur, and other districts.
There is no official statement from the police on this matter so far.
Sonal Modi, PM’s Niece Denied BJP Ticket
Meanwhile, Prahlad’s daughter, Sonal Modi was denied a BJP ticket from Bodakdev ward to contest the upcoming Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation (AMC) elections, to be held on 21 February.
Sonal is the president of the Gujarat Fair Price Shops Association. She told reporters that she wanted to contest the civic body polls as an ordinary BJP worker and not PM Modi's niece. "Even if I am not given the ticket, I will remain active in the party as a dedicated worker," Sonal said, according to PTI.
Prahlad Modi also spoke to PTI about this not being a case of nepotism, and said that their family has never used his brother’s name for their benefit, or even visited his bungalow after he became the PM.
(With inputs from PTI and Deccan Herald)
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