Congress worker who ferried Priyanka on scooter fined ₹6,100

The Congress worker, who ferried party leader Priyanka Gandhi Vadra after her cavalcade was stopped by the police in Lucknow on her way to the residence of former IPS officer SR Darapuri on Saturday, has been issued a challan of ₹6,100 for riding without helmets.

They rode the scooty for almost 30 minutes to reach their destination, Congress sources said. “Based on photographs we got from social media two persons could be seen riding a two-wheeler without helmet. It was verified and revealed the two-wheeler was driven by Dheeraj Gurjar. Based on the details of the vehicle obtained from M-Parivahan, a challan was issued,” SP (Traffic) Poornendu Singh said.

Also read | They grabbed me by my neck: Priyanka alleges manhandling by UP cops

According to the e-challan, the owner of the two-wheeler is Rajdeep Singh, who has to pay the fine, police said. Congress leader Dheeraj Gurjar drove the two-wheeler and Priyanka Gandhi covered almost two kilometres in 30 minutes from Polytechnic Crossing to Munshipulia Crossing Saturday evening, the party sources said.

After meeting the family members of Darapuri, who was arrested during protests against the new Citizenship law, Priyanka Gandhi alleged women police had manhandled her as she resisted their attempts of stopping her from moving ahead. She said policewomen had pulled her by her neck and pushed her. The UP police had denied the allegation of manhandling as “false”.

Speaking on Sunday (December 29), she attacked the Yogi Adityanath government in the state over handling of protests against the amended Citizenship Act, saying it has “crossed all limits of inhumanity”. She further claimed party worker Sadaf Zafar was arrested on “baseless” charges.

सदफ के दोनों बच्चे अपनी मां की रिहाई का बेसब्री से इंतजार कर रहे हैं।

ये संवेदनहीन सरकार ने बच्चों को अपनी मां से, बूढ़ों को अपने बच्चों से जुदा करके रखा है।

— Priyanka Gandhi Vadra (@priyankagandhi) December 29, 2019

“This insensitive government has separated children from their mother and the older generation from their children,” the Congress general secretary said.

Zafar was arrested on December 19 while she was live on Facebook from the spot where protests against the amended citizenship law had gone violent. Police had said she was arrested for her involvement in clashes. At least 19 people were killed and hundreds of others injured in the violence in the state.

After visiting Darapuri’s family, “Priyanka Gandhi met the family members of Sadaf on Saturday night at her (Priyanka’s) Lucknow residence and told them the Congress stands firmly with them,” UP Congress chief Ajay Kumar Lallu said.

“Uttar Pradesh government has crossed all limits of inhumanity. Congress worker Sadaf Zafar in a video can be clearly seen telling policemen to arrest those indulging in violence. The police has levelled baseless allegations on Sadaf and put her in jail,” Priyanka Gandhi tweeted in Hindi.

The Congress general secretary said Zafar’s children were eagerly waiting for her release.

On the allegation of police mishandling the Congress leader, Uttar Pradesh Deputy Chief Minister Keshav Prasad Maurya attacked her saying such ‘nautanki’ (theatrics) will not fetch votes for the Congress and what’s left of the party will also be finished.

In a Hindi tweet late on Saturday night, Maurya said that it seemed by Priyanka Gandhi’s behaviour that her party has become a “danga karao party” and it cannot tolerate the peaceful atmosphere and development in Uttar Pradesh. He said the state was a symbol of Hindu-Muslim unity and added that the Congress and the Samajwadi Party were getting disturbed, seeing their dark political future.

“Everyone in UP knows that the Congress only has members who are interested in getting their photos clicked. By misleading the country on the issue of CAA, the Congress has become a villian in the eyes of the public,” Maurya said.

Also read | In letter to UP Cong workers, Priyanka Gandhi calls for protests against CAB

Reacting to Maurya’s comments, Congress state media management committee member Lalan Kumar said, “BJP leaders are making such statements as they are afraid of Priyanka ji. Ever since she has taken charge of UP, the party workers are feeling galvanised. The BJP is losing its political ground in the state and the country with every passing day. In the 2022 UP Assembly elections, the Congress will emerge victorious and form the government.”

Meanwhile, Priyanka Gandhi’s husband Robert Vadra on Sunday lauded the Congress general secretary for reaching out to people who need her.

“I am extremely disturbed at the way Priyanka was manhandled by the woman cops…. But she was determined and she travelled on a two-wheeler to meet family members of former IPS officer SR Darapuri…I am proud of you Priyanka for being compassionate and for reaching out to the people who need you. What you did was correct and there is no crime to be with people in need or in grief,” Vadra tweeted.

(With inputs from agencies)