Congress using Sonbhadra issue to gain lost ground: Shrikant Sharma

Uttar Pradesh Power Minister Shrikant Sharma here Sunday said the Congress is trying to make political gains using the Sonbhadra issue while the government is trying to normalise the situation.

"While priority for the Congress is to regain its lost base through the Sonbhadra incident, the priority of the government is to normalise the situation," Sharma told reporters here.

The minister said Congress general secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra had tried to go to Sonbhadra with an "ulterior motive" of reviving the lost base of her party, otherwise she would have taken permission for visiting the area.

Ten persons were killed and 28 injured in a clash on Wednesday after a village headman and his supporters allegedly opened fire on a group of Tribals over a land dispute.

Priyanka was detained at a guesthouse in Chunnar of Mirzapur district on Friday. She met relatives of the victims of the clash on Saturday.

In a Facebook post, former Congress president Rahul Gandhi had alleged that keeping his sister Priyanka in arrest in a guest house was "dictatorial".

Sharma called the Sonbhadra killings "unfortunate and painful". He said while 29 accused persons have been arrested, the additional district magistrate, police circle officer and station house officer have been suspended and a three-member committee formed to settle the dispute using revenue records.

He said Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, himself has visited the area for early normalisation of the situation.

He said Bahujan Samajwadi Party president Mayawati was making statements out of "frustration" as she was being exposed. Recently, Mayawati had demanded a probe against BJP leaders in corruption.

Sharma said union ministers from his party have submitted their financial records in the Prime Minister's Office, and state ministers have submitted the same with the state party president.

He said every penny received by the BJP as donation is accountable for.

Sharma held Congress leader Rahul Gandhi responsible for the imbroglio in Karnataka assembly.

In spite of mandate going against Congress, "Gandhi imposed collision government on the people of the state", going against the wishes of senior leaders like Siddaramaiah, Sharma said.