LUCKNOW/AMETHI: The Uttar Pradesh Police tightened security ahead of the Congress’ proposed “siege” of the state assembly on Wednesday, with party leaders claiming they were put under “house arrest”.In Amethi, Congress district chief Pradeep Singhal claimed he, along with more than 100 party leaders and officials, was placed under house arrest.”All 17 block presidents, office-bearers, frontal organisation leaders and committee members in the district have been placed under house arrest,” he told PTI.Describing the police action as “undemocratic and condemnable”, Singhal said, “Every citizen in a democracy has the right to speak out. The Congress is the voice of the people that this deaf and blind government is trying to suppress.When this government is afraid, it resorts to using the police.” The alleged house arrests follow an official notice issued under Section 168 (police to prevent cognizable offences) of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita to the Congress’ general secretary (organisation) Anil Yadav in Lucknow, warning of legal action against party workers for disrupting law and order.The notice, issued by the Hussainganj police station, mentioned that a large group of Congress workers, led by Dinesh Kumar Singh, had proposed to march to the assembly in Lucknow on Wednesday to protest against the government’s policies.”Tomorrow (Wednesday), we will gherao the Vidhan Sabha for justice to the victims of Sambhal, for the price of crops to farmers, and against unemployment. See how the dictatorial government wants to suppress our voice by issuing notices,” Yadav said in a post on X, along with the picture of the police notice.
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