Lucknow, December 28: Congress general secretary in-charge of eastern Uttar Pradesh, Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, was stopped by the UP Police on Saturday when she was on her way to meet the family of Sadaf Jafar, the party worker-activist arrested during the anti-CAA protest in Lucknow on December 19. The denial of permission for Priyanka, to meet Sadaf's family, comes four days after she, along with brother Rahul Gandhi, were barred from meeting the bereaved kin of a deceased anti-CAA demonstrator in Meerut. Priyanka Gandhi Hits Out at PM Modi Over NRC Row, Says 'Country Is Fed Up of Your Lies'.

Gandhi, who was irked by the police not allowing her to proceed towards Sadaf's residence in Lucknow, said the state government is denying people their democratic right. She told reporters that the police denying her permission to meet Sadaf's family members is not linked to her safety. "There's no point stopping us on road. It's not an issue of SPG but of UP police," she said.

Update by ANI

Sadaf was arrested by the UP Police for violating Section 144 of CrPC, which barred the assembly of five or more people at public places. Despite the restrictions orders, she had joined scores at Lucknow's Parivartan Chowk to protest against the CAA-NRC project of the central government.

UP Congress chief Ajay Kumar Lallu, who met Sadaf at the Lucknow jail where she is lodged for the last 10 days, said she has received severe injuries. The police personnel manhandled, thrashed and punched her, alleged Lallu. He has demanded the Yogi Adityanath government to release her at the earliest.

The Congress party has submitted a request to Governor Anandiben Patel, seeking her intervention in the released of Sadaf and scores of others were arrested for "exercising their right" to protest. "Our worker was telling the police to arrest the miscreants but she was herself picked and beaten up by the cops. She has two small children. Such repression will not work," Priyanka had earlier tweeted, referring to the arrest of Sadaf.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Dec 28, 2019 06:21 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).