Congress to surround UP Assembly; security stepped up

 Security was stepped up on Wednesday with all roads leading to the Uttar Pradesh assembly premises barricaded ahead of the state Congress' assembly 'siege' programme to protest against the policies of the government.

Officials said prohibitory orders are in place and no one will be allowed to flout the orders.

Curbs under Section 163 (power to issue an order in urgent cases of nuisance or apprehended danger) of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita (BNSS) are in place in Lucknow, a senior officer said.

Barricadings have been put on the roads leading to the state assembly and force has been deployed outside the Congress office in the Mall Avenue area here.

Congress spokesperson Manish Hindvi said thousands of workers have already reached the party office and the 'gherao' will begin around noon.

"It will be led by Congress state president Ajay Rai and UP in-charge Avinash Pande," he added.

Asked about the proposed gherao, Deputy Chief Minister Brajesh Pathak said that it has only been planned to grab newspaper headlines and the Congress has no connection with the people.

The Congress is surrounded by "misdeeds and its workers are directionless", Pathak said, adding the gherao will prove to be a "flop show".

"The state is progressing rapidly with its all-round development after 2017. The people of the entire state believe that the government has worked to bring Uttar Pradesh to number one position in the nation. The law and order has improved," he asserted.

Rai has on Tuesday claimed that the state government, fearing the Congress protest against its "unjust" policies, has placed party members under house arrest in several districts to prevent them from participating in the demonstration.

"The Yogi government, panicked by the Congress' Assembly siege programme, is resorting to undemocratic means. Leaders and workers are being intimidated and detained through police action. This is a shameful violation of democratic values and an attack on the people's voice," Rai had charged.

Rai asserted that the Congress will strongly respond to what he described as the state government's "autocratic attitude" and police suppression, warning of a state-wide movement if such actions continue.

"This government is trampling upon democratic principles, but Congress will not back down. Our workers are ready to confront the government on issues like unemployment, inflation, and misrule and misgovernance of the BJP government".

Rai said.

"The government may erect barricades or use police force, but Congress workers are prepared to fight. We are committed to confronting the government and exposing its tyrannical behaviour," he added.