As the protests in Delhi intensified over NEET paper leak on Tuesday, with Congress leaders Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi and Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav detained by police, the Uttar Pradesh units of the two parties launched impromptu protests in Lucknow and several other cities across the state by evening.
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Soon after news of the detentions in Delhi reached the state, senior SP leaders and workers gathered outside the Uttar Pradesh Legislative Assembly in Lucknow. Led by SP state president Shyam Lal Pal, Rajpal Kashyap and Juhie Singh, they raised slogans against the Centre and the state government.
As protesters attempted to march ahead, police stopped them, leading to jostling between the two sides. Several SP workers were detained and taken to Eco Garden in police buses. Some workers alleged they were manhandled during the police action. Several party workers were seen in the buses with their clothes torn and ripped.
The Congress also staged a protest outside Jan Bhavan in Lucknow. Uttar Pradesh Congress president Ajay Rai, who was on his way to Saharanpur, changed his programme and headed towards the protest site, where he was detained by police and taken to Eco Garden, a senior leader said. Several Congress workers who later assembled at Jan Bhavan were also detained.
“We have been arrested for raising our voice for students’ rights and abandoned at Eco Garden without basic facilities. This reflects the BJP government’s authoritarian approach,” Rai said in a statement. He alleged that the police action was aimed at suppressing democratic protests and asserted that the party would continue to raise issues concerning students.
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The developments also prompted heightened security at the Vidhan Bhawan, Raj Bhavan and the chief minister’s residence in Lucknow.
Delhi Police on Tuesday forcibly removed Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi Vadra as well as Akhilesh Yadav from the protest site outside Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s residence.
Rai also questioned the conduct of security personnel during the protest in Delhi, citing images and videos circulating on social media that allegedly showed some personnel without nameplates and individuals in plain clothes carrying lathis during crowd-control operations. He said the incident raised concerns over police accountability and transparency.
In Varanasi, SP workers staged a dharna outside the Banaras Hindu University (BHU) gate, holding placards and raising slogans against the detention of Akhilesh Yadav. Some students reportedly attempted to join the demonstration but were persuaded by members of the university’s proctorial board to return to the campus. Police later detained the protesting SP workers after asking them to clear the road, citing traffic congestion.
In Etawah, SP workers led by state secretary Gopal Yadav organised a dharna at Shastri Chowk.
In Bulandshahr, Congress leader Archana Panda, wife of former MLA Guddu Pandit, left for Delhi with party workers, saying they wanted to express solidarity with students protesting over the alleged irregularities in the NEET examination.
Meerut also witnessed protests by both opposition parties. SP workers led by state secretary Vipin Chaudhary demonstrated outside the collectorate and submitted a memorandum addressed to the President through district officials, demanding an impartial inquiry into the alleged police action on protesters in Delhi and protection of democratic rights. Anticipating demonstrations, the district administration deployed heavy police force at the collectorate.
Meanwhile, several Congress workers from Meerut, including Seva Dal state secretary SK Shah Rukh and Naveen Gurjar, left for Delhi to join the protest. Senior Meerut Congress leader Manoj Tyagi, who was accompanying Rahul Gandhi during the protest in the national capital, was among those detained by Delhi Police.
Lucknow police step up security
Meanwhile, Lucknow police have stepped up security arrangements across the city in view of protests by various political parties and organisations over the developments in Delhi. The move comes after demonstrations were held in parts of Lucknow on Monday and Tuesday, prompting the police commissionerate to strengthen deployment and issue fresh instructions to officers at all levels to maintain law and order.
“We have strengthened security arrangements across Lucknow. All police stations have been instructed to remain on alert, maintain strict vigil in their respective areas and ensure that law and order is not disturbed,” police commissioner Amarendra Kumar Sengar said.
Joint commissioner of police (law and order) Bablu Kumar said adequate police force had been deployed at sensitive locations and field officers asked to closely monitor the situation.
“No permission is being granted for protests or demonstrations on public roads. Necessary police deployment has been made to ensure public order and traffic movement remain unaffected,” he said.
Additional deployment has also been made at key intersections, government establishments and other vulnerable locations as a precautionary measure. Authorities said the situation is being monitored continuously and appropriate action will be taken to prevent any disruption to law and order.
