Cong stage march to protest arrest, invoking NSA against Rai

Congress activists today staged a march here to protest the arrest and invoking of NSA against party MLA Ajay Rai, and submitted a memorandum to Governor Ram Naik demanding a judicial probe into the clashes in Varanasi earlier this month.
The activists, led by AICC General Secretary and Incharge of party affairs in the state Madhusudan Mistry, marched from the state party headquarters till Raj Bhawan, party's chairman of communications department, Satyvrat Tripathi, said.
The delegation apprised the Governor of the background and sequence of events which took place in Varanasi and stressed that Ajay Rai had been framed to settle political scores, Tripathi said.

Besides demanding withdrawal of NSA and release of Rai, who was arrested without evidence, the party members also demanded withdrawal of cases lodged against saints and seers as well as those on other Congressmen, he said.
Alleging that police worked in an "arbitrary manner", the party also demanded a judicial probe into the entire episode.
"The Governor has assured us that he will take up the matter with the Chief Minister and see that justice is done in this case," Tripathi said.

Others who took part in the march included - UPCC president Nirmal Khatri, several present and former MPs and legislators including legislature party leader Pradip Mathur.

Rai was arrested on October 6, a day after violence broke out during the pratikar yatra to protest ban on immersion of Ganesh idols in the Ganga. Rai was arrested on charges of involvement in violence.
Congress had also sent a fact-finding team to Varanasi to find out the truth behind Rai's arrest.