Lucknow: Security has been tightened in Lucknow after Congress state president Ajay Rai announced that his party will gherao the Uttar Pradesh Assembly to protest against the policies of the state government.
He said a large number of workers from across the state have reached the Congress headquarters here. However, several leaders and workers were put under house arrest by police in their respective districts and not allowed to reach the state capital. Still thousands of workers are ready to march to the Assembly, Rai said. In a special conversation with "ETV Bharat", Rai said the state government is committing atrocities. "All our leaders were put under house arrest at night. The vehicles of workers coming to Lucknow were punctured. They were taken off buses and trains. But our brave workers are not going to bow down at any cost. We will surround the Assembly at any cost and will keep raising issues of public interest," he said.
Govt focusing on privatisation
Rai came down on the Narendra Modi government at the Centre and the Yogi Adityanath government in Uttar Pradesh. He said the state government is focusing on privatisation and efforts are on privatise two discoms of the electricty department. He alleged all contracts are being given to the people from Gujarat. "People from Gujarat are working in Banaras and Ayodhya. The Maha Kumbh is being held in Prayagraj but there too only Gujaratis have been given work. The government is Gujaratising the state," Rai said. He said his party's workers will break every barrier and every wall to move ahead and highlight people's issues. ETV Bharat also talked to other Congress leaders and workers who accused the government of not resolving issues of public interest. They said the problems of farmers have increased. Youths are not getting employment and efforts are on privatise power sector. They said the government is not letting Congress raise its voice.
Security tightened
As the winter session of Uttar Pradesh Assembly is on, police are not taking any chances after the Congress state chief's threat. A large number of police personnel have been deployed at the Congress headquarters here and barricades put up at vital places to prevent the Congress workers from marching towards the Assembly.
