Thousands of Samajwadi Party workers spilled on to the streets in various cities of Uttar Pradesh on Monday to mark the beginning of the party’s three-day offensive against the Mayawati government.
Clashes with the police were reported from various places and hundreds of party workers were taken into custody. The party workers took to the streets as part of the Samajwadi campaign called, “BSP hatao, Pradesh bachao”, with women leading from the front.
In Lucknow, several SP leaders, including Bhagwati Singh and Shivpal Yadav, were detained as they tried to lead party workers in the protest march. Three busloads of SP activists were sent to Lucknow jail.
“Several of our senior leaders, including Bhagwati Singh and Shivpal Yadav, were intentionally targeted at the behest of the government that is trying to suppress our agitation by violent means,” SP spokes-person Rajendra Choudhury told reporters here.