Hundreds of Congress workers were detained as the police on Monday thwarted the grand old party's attempt to take out 'padyatra' (foot march) from Shahajahanpur town in support of victim, who had accused ex-BJP MP Swami Chinmayananda of raping her and protest bid to ''shield'' the saffron leader.
A fuming Congress slammed the UP government for ''trampling'' its right to peacefully protest ''injustice''. ''UP is no Kashmir yet I am in preventive custody for simply wanting to highlight the plight of Shahajahanpur rape victim,'' senior Congress leader Jitin Prasada, who put under 'house arrest' in the town on Monday ahead of the 'yatra'.
Congress general secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra also blasted the state government for not allowing her party to undertake the 'yatra'. ''UP government wants to suppress the voice seeking justice for the victim, our workers are being arrested. Why is the government scared?'' she said in a post on Twitter.
According to the sources, hundreds of Congress workers were taken into custody, when they tried to take out the 'yatra'. Scores others were stopped on the border of the district.
The district administration said that the grand old party was not given permission to undertake the foot march as section 144 was already in force in the district.
Congress sources said that the party would hold demonstrations at all district headquarters in protest against the action against the party workers.
Sources said that Priyanka could also take part in the protest.
The grand old party had planned a 175-kilometre long 'padyatra' from Shahajahanpur, the home town of the rape victim.
Chinmayananda was booked for misusing his position and ''sexually exploiting'' the victim. The law student was accused of extortion and was in the jail after being arrested.