UP Congress leader Shahnawaz Alam arrested for role in anti-CAA protests

Lucknow: Uttar Pradesh Congress Minority cell chief Shahnawaz Alam was arrested by police in the later hours of Monday (June 29) in connection with anti-Citizenship Amendment Act protest on December 19, 2019.

Following Alam's arrest, UP Congress chief Ajay Kumar Lallu and others arrived at Hazratganj Police Station after which the police had to resort to baton-charge to disperse party workers from the station.

"Government is scared. It is attempting to send Congress workers and officer bearers to jail after naming them in false cases. If they do not release him, then we will do an agitation tomorrow," Ajay Kumar Lallu, state Congress Chief told ANI.

Lucknow Deputy Commissioner of Police (Central) Dinesh Singh said that Alam's name had appeared in the case related to anti-CAA/NRC protest at Parivartan Chowk on 19th December 2019. Evidence were being gathered since then.

The Congress leader was arrested on June 29 evening after police found sufficient evidence against him. 

Meanwhile, reacting to the development, Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi Vadra  slammed the BJP-led UP government over the arrest of party`s minority cell chairman. Gandhi said the Yogi Adityanath government in the state is using police as a 'tool of oppression'.

The senior Congress leader also posted a video of the incident along with the tweet. "First, our state president was kept in jail for four weeks on fake charges. This police action is repressive and undemocratic. Congress workers are not afraid of police sticks and fake cases," she said.