Congress to seek party leader's release

LUCKNOW: To register their protest against Varanasi MLA Ajay Rai’s alleged incarceration at the hands of the Centre and state governments, Congress party leaders will march from the UP Congress Committee office to meet governor Ram Naik at his Raj Bhawan home, on October 20.
The protest march, in which Congress’ serving and MP’s, MLAs and party office bearers will participate, will be led by AICC general secretary in charge Madhusudan Mistry and PCC president Nirmal Khatri.While there is no confirmation, yet, of Congress vice president and Amethi MP Rahul Gandhi’s attendance, other Rajya Sabha MP’s of the Congress, PL Punia, Sanjay Singh and Pramod Tiwari are scheduled to attend.
Rai was on October 6 arrested by the Varanasi district administration for allegedly inciting the violence in the seers’ Anyay Pratikar Yatra of October 5. Foiling his release from Fatehgarh jail, where Rai is currently lodged, the district administration also invoked the stringent National Security Act against the MLA, making both bail and trial impossible for three to six months, or by High Court appointed advisory committee.