Rahul Gandhi was arrested and later released by the UP police late Wednesday night amid high drama at Bhatta-Rarsaul village in Gautambudhnagar when he had led a demonstration in support of the farmers who have been agitating for several days demanding better compensation for the lands taken over by the Mayawati government for the proposed Yamuna Expressway and associated projects.

 

The UP Congress, which called for a state wide bandh today, asked its activists to conduct protest rallies, demonstrations and road blockades opposing the arrest of its leader Rahul Gandhi.

 

Based on the congress call, thousands of congress workers came on to the streets in several towns of UP and burnt the effigy of Mayawati.

 

In Lucknow, police arrested the state congress chief Ms. Rita Bahugana when she led a fierce demonstration and caused a road blockade while the Congress legislature party leader in the state assembly was put on house arrest in Allahabad and then arrested when he came out to lead a protest rally.

 

Rae Bareli, the constituency of Congress president Sonia Gandhi, also witnessed protests and road blockades and in Varanasi, senior congress leader and former MP Brijendra Singh was arrested along with Congress workers.

 

In several towns, congress workers have reportedly clashed with police leading to their mass arrests.

 

The farmers’ agitation took a violent turn on May 7 at Bhatta-Parsaul as farmers clashed with police who in turn opened fire resulting in the death of two police constables and four farmers. After the violence, no leader was allowed to visit the village by the state government.

 

Rahul Gandhi however managed to sneak into the village early Wednesday morning and held a demonstration after visiting the houses of victims in the police firing. Later, Rahul launched an indefinite protest demonstration demanding a judicial inquiry into the firing incident. “There should also be no forcible acquisition of the land,” Rahul said and demanded the withdrawal of all criminal cases against the farmers and immediate relief measures.