Launching a scathing counter-offensive against UP chief minister Mayawati for her barb against young party leader Rahul Gandhi, Congress on Thursday claimed the BSP leader has reacted out of “frustration”, as the “barbaric treatment”, which was meted out to farmers in Greater Noida, has never been heard in Independent India.
Trying to corner Ms Mayawati of her high handedness in dealing with the agitating farmers at Bhatta Parsaul in Greater Noida, AICC general secretary Digvijay Singh, who is party-incharge of UP, claimed that though the state government has said that only three persons were killed, it could be actually be more. “The situation is appalling there. We saw ash gathered at many places and bones were found there. We cannot take the incident as ordinary one. A woman’s body was found in the canal. Around 400 people have left the village and there is no trace of their whereabouts. Since we have seen the bones, it appears many more persons have been killed,” he said. Demanding a judicial inquiry into the incident, Mr Singh asked the state government to unconditionally release those arrested during the agitation and action on cases registered against people should be suspended till the probe is over. Indicating that the Congress would continue to rake up this issue, Mr Singh said that the party has promised the farmers to support their fight for justice and Congressmen would keep trying to enter the village.
Ridiculing Ms Mayawati’s attack on Mr Gandhi, Mr Singh said, her claim is “laughable” that “our leader’s voice is not heard in the party”.
Joining issues with Mr Singh another AICC general secretary and chairman of the party’s media department Janardhan Dwivedi said, “BSP knows they are going to lose. The Uttar Pradesh government is feeling that it is now time for it to go. They are saying all these things due to frustration.” Claiming that the UP CM has lost her “self confidence”, Mr Dwivedi said, “She had earlier aligned with various parties but that possibility is also not there now. Hence these absurd reactions.” Mr Dwivedi also said that whatever “Congress did there or Mr Gandhi is doing across the country” is through democratic means. “If raising one’s voice to remove the miseries of the poor is not democratic, then those raising such issues should doubt their intelligence,” he said.