Rae Bareli: The cries of a Dalit woman for
the release of her husband arrested on the charge of illicit
liquor brewing drew Sonia Gandhi`s attention today during a
tour of her Lok Sabha constituency.
The Congress chief objected to alleged frequent
detentions of Dalits on "flimsy" charges of illicit liquor
brewing in Sarai Digosa village and a police officer released
the man, who was arrested on a similar charge.
Residents of the Scheduled Caste-dominated village under
Sataon assembly segment, mobbed Gandhi complaining that police
frequently pick up "innocent" villagers on charges of liquor
brewing and extort money from them.
Chanda Pasi, whose husband Chhedi Passi was taken into
custody in the morning on similar charges, started wailing
when Gandhi was interacting with villagers.
A visibly upset Gandhi called the Additional SP and
officers in-charge and asked them why villagers were making
such complaints. She said it was wrong if such things
happened.
The ASP, who earlier argued that he was arrested for
brewing illicit liquor, took the initiative to get the man
freed. He even asked villagers to call him personally, if
there was any such problem in future.
UPCC spokesperson Akhilesh Prasad Singh, who was
accompanying Gandhi said, "This was a fit example of how
innocent Dalits are being harassed under Mayawati`s rule in
the Uttar Pradesh."
Bureau Report
