Ajay Rai prevented from meeting injured party leader: Cong

Lucknow: The Uttar Pradesh Congress on Friday alleged that its state president, Ajay Rai, was stopped by police while on his way to meet an injured party leader in Gautam Budh Nagar.According to the party, district Congress chief Deepak Chotiwala was injured during a protest against remarks made about Mallikarjun Kharge. The protest, held in Noida, saw a “brutal” response from the police, the party claimed.Rai was travelling to Chotiwala’s residence to enquire about his condition when he was stopped midway by police personnel, the statement said.Reacting strongly, Rai termed the move “undemocratic” and said preventing a political leader from meeting a party worker was condemnable. He accused the govt of attempting to suppress opposition voices and divert attention from public issues.“The Congress will not be intimidated by such actions and will continue its struggle to safeguard democracy,” he said, adding that the police should act impartially and not under pressure.The party also criticised the administration’s conduct and warned of a wider democratic protest if such incidents are repeated. There was no immediate response from the police or administration to the allegations.