UP Cong workers observe 'Betrayal Day' against Modi govt

Scores of Congress workers staged protests across Uttar Pradesh today against the "failures" of the Narendra Modi-led central government.

The opposition party observed 'Vishwasghat Divas' (Betrayal Day) across the country today to mark the fourth anniversary of the NDA dispensation.

The Congress workers accused the Modi government of corruption, failing to fulfil promises it had made before the 2014 parliamentary election, adopting anti-peoples policies and failing to check soaring petroleum prices, according to party spokesman Zeshan Haider said.

In the state capital, state Congress president Raj Babbar led a group of party workers on bullock carts and rickshaws to protest against the rising prices of petrol and diesel. The march started from Baradari but were stopped by police from proceeding towards the Raj Bhawan, the party spokesman said.

Babbar, along with party workers sat on a dharna. Police resorted to lathi-charge to disperse the protesters and took Babbar, Congress legislature party leader Ajay Singh Lallu and MLC Dipak Singh into custody, Haider said.

They were taken to police station from where they were released later, he said.

Later talking to reporters, Babbar said the common people had been suffering under the Modi government.