Priyanka slams UP govt over alleged attack on Rae Bareli MLA, Cong seeks judicial probe

A day after an alleged attack on Rae Bareli MLA Aditi Singh, Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi Vadra called it an assault on democracy while a party delegation met Governor Ram Naik, demanding a judicial probe.

The Congress has alleged that the MLA was on her way to oversee the voting for a no-confidence motion against zila panchayat chairman Avadhesh Pratap Singh, who is the brother of BJP's Lok Sabha candidate Dinesh Singh.

"This is an attack on democracy. Nothing of this sort has ever happened in Rae Bareli. Country-made weapons, bricks and lathis were used in the attack. Zila panchayat members were dragged from their vehicles," Priyanka Gandhi alleged.

In Lucknow, a delegation led by UP Congress chief Raj Babbar sought a judicial probe into the alleged attack.

Priyanka Gandhi claimed that one of the zila panchayat members was run over by a vehicle.

"What kind of democracy is this? It is the BJP government in the state when such incidents are taking place while the entire administration is sitting idle," she said after a meeting with party workers here.

Priyanka Gandhi maintained that the party would raise the issue at every level.

"Our leaders are meeting the Governor in Lucknow. In Delhi, we are meeting the Election Commission. We will take legal recourse and file a complaint against the local administration if required," she said.

Priyanka Gandhi, who was scheduled to take part in a roadshow in Varanasi later in the day, said they had told the administration that something of this kind could take place but precautionary measures were not taken.

"We have demanded to cancel proceedings of the no-confidence motion and fix a new date for it," the Congress stated in an official release here.

The MLA was allegedly attacked by Avadhesh Singh's henchmen, armed with iron rods and bricks in Harchandpur area.

According to Congress sources, the MLA's vehicle had overturned as its driver lost control over it due the attack.

An FIR was registered against Avadhesh and his brother Dinesh Singh later in the night on the complaint of zila panchyat member Rakesh Awasthi.

Awasthi had alleged that he too was attacked along with two other members, in an effort to prevent them from participating in the no-confidence motion against Avadhesh Singh.