Senior Congress leaders arrested ahead of UP 'padyatra'

 Former Union Minister and senior Congress leader Jitin Prasad was on Monday placed under house arrest, while party MLA Ajay Kumar Lallu was detained ahead of a planned 'padyatra' to show solidarity and seek justice for the Shahjahanpur victim.

In an audio message, Prasad said: "Congress today wanted to hold a march to highlight the plight of the Shahjahanpur rape victim but the local administration is not allowing it. Tell me how is this not a violation of law? It's unfortunate."

Lallu, who was picked up from his hotel room, said that the police action was proof of the lack of democracy in the Yogi Adityanath regime.

"We were simply taking out a 'padyatra' and not disturbing peace and law and order in any manner," he said.

The Congress was slated to take out the three-day padyatra from Shahjahanpur to Lucknow on Monday.

The march was to highlight the case of the law student who had accused former BJP Minister Chinmayanand of sexual misconduct but was herself arrested on charges of extortion.IANS