Priyanka's detention denies her rights; an insult to Indian culture: DK Shivakumar

Mangaluru: KPCC president D.K. Shivakumar termed Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi’s detention by the UP police at Lakhimpur Kheri as a denial of her constitutional rights and equated it as an insult to the entire Indian culture.

Uttar Pradesh police have detained our leader Priyanka Gandhi who was on her way to comfort the family of the deceased farmers. It is our political duty to extend comfort. The police officials dragged them away and deprived them of their rights, he said while addressing the media at the Mangaluru International Airport.

He said peaceful struggle and protest are every citizen’s right in a democratic system of governance. Gandhiji taught us the way to struggle following the path of non-violence (ahimsa).” Farmers have been protesting peacefully for the past 10 months and neither the Prime Minister nor any other minister has met and listened to the farmers’ demands,” he said.

He criticized the central government for its inaction in the recent Lakhimpur Kheri violence. “A union minister’s son mowed down protesting farmers, killing 4 of them. In anger, people attacked violently. Both incidents shouldn’t have happened. But the government has not arrested the culprits responsible for the incident. No minister has resigned,” he said and questioned if this was the way a government is supposed to behave.

When asked about the details of his visit to the city, the Congress leader explained he was here to appear as a witness before a court in Sullia. He said “When I was energy minister, some man had called and verbally abused me. The authorities had then filed a complaint. He then abused the officers as well. The court had summoned me as a witness. I did not know about it earlier. I have now arrived to respectfully appear before the court.”