Defending her party's Uttar Pradesh unit chief Ajay Kumar Lallu who was arrested in a case of cheating and forgery, Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi Vadra on Tuesday said he has always fought for displaced and marginalised people.
Her remarks come ahead of Mr Lallu's bail plea hearing which according to UP Congress media coordinator Lalan Kumar will take place on Thursday.
In a series of tweets, Priyanka Gandhi accused the Yogi Adityanath government of violating all humanitarian principles.
"Having lived a life of struggle, perseverance and grit, UP Congress President Shri. Ajay Kumar Lallu knows well the suffering of displaced and marginalised people. He has fought for them steadfastly throughout his career," she said.
"Throwing him into prison on baseless charges during a pandemic reveals the undemocratic and single mindedly opportunistic mindset of the Yogi Government and violates all humanitarian principles," she added.
The Congress general secretary said the party will continue to fight for him.
The party's state unit president was arrested twice on May 20 -- first in Agra for sitting on a dharna to protest against the UP government for not granting permission to allow buses arranged for migrants by the party to enter the state.
He was granted bail by an Agra court and released, before being re-arrested by a team of the Lucknow Police in a second case filed here in connection with the Congress' standoff with the state government.
He was charged under Indian Penal Code sections related to cheating and forging documents.
Convenor of UP Congress' media department Lalan Kumar said the special MP/MLA court will hear the bail plea on May 28.
The Congress on Sunday had asked Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath to withdraw "false" cases against Ajay Kumar Lallu.
UP Congress spokesperson Ashok Singh had said that Ajay Kumar Lallu was booked for helping migrant workers and labourers returning to the state and putting him in jail was "high-handedness" on the part of the Yogi Adityanath government.
