Indian opposition leader Rahul Gandhi arrested
- By Web Desk -
- Jun 08, 2017
MADHYA PRADESH: Indian Opposition leader Rahul Gandhi was arrested by the Madhya Pradesh police after he attempted he visit the violence-hit district Mandsaur after repeated warnings from the police not to do so.
Speaking to the media, he said he wasn’t given a reason for being arrested. Earlier in the day, the police had maintained that they would not permit Gandhi to visit the district. The Congress leader reached Udaipur, Rajasthan, before leaving for MP by road.
“Na kisaano ka karza maaf karte hain, na bonus dete; bas goliyaan dete hain (They don’t waive off farmers’ loan. Neither do they give any bonuses. Bullets are what all they give),” Gandhi said.
Narendra Modi can waive loans of the country’s rich but can’t do so for farmers.” He reiterated he wanted to visit the district to meet the families of the five farmers killed by police firing on Tuesday. Read LIVE updates on the Madhya Pradesh farmers’ protest here.
Gandhi, along with JDU leader Sharad Yaadav and Congress leaders Digvijay Singh and Kamal Nath, were kept at Vikram Tent House, which was converted into a temporary jail, in Nayagaon.
“I squarely blame Modi and the chief minister (Shivraj Singh Chouhan for the killing of farmers),” Gandhi told reporters, before being whisked away by the police.
Prior to his arrest, Gandhi took to Twitter saying, “Rajasthan and Madhya Pradesh government are doing their best to prevent me from entering MP and meeting the families of the farmers killed in Mandsaur. What law of the land says that it is illegal to stand in solidarity with farmers who were killed simply for demanding what is their right?”
“Country’s Prime Minster Narendra Modi can waive off Rs 1.50 lakh crore worth loans of the richest people of India, but can’t pay heed to the plight of farmers. He can only give bullets to them,” said Rahul.
Gandhi, who reached Udaipur on a chartered flight from New Delhi, moved towards Nimbaheda area on road in a cavalcade, stopping at several spots to meet Congress workers.