Kill us or arrest us – doesn’t matter, says Rahul Gandhi on Priyanka Gandhi’s arrest

An hour before departing to Lakhimpur Kheri via Lucknow former Congress president, Rahul Gandhi attacked the BJP governments in Uttar Pradesh and in the Centre for destroying institutions systematically, invoked values (of making sacrifices for the country) taught by his family.

In response to a question on Priyanka Gandhi’s long detention, lodging of an FIR against her and consequent arrest by the UP police, Rahul Gandhi said, “Whether you (BJP government) kill us, arrest us – does not matter to Priyanka. Our family has taught us to tolerate all this”.

Downplaying the issue of Priyanka Gandhi’s arrest, Rahul said, “The main issue here is farmers' protest”.

A day before on October 5, Rahul Gandi has hailed Priyanka’s struggle for farmers, saying, “Whom you detained is a true Congressi. She does not accept defeat. Satyagraha for farmers will not stop”.

Addressing Priyanka, Rahul on October 4 wrote on Twitter, “I know you will not retreat. They are afraid of your courage.”

It is worth recalling here that Rahul Gandhi’s father former Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi was killed in a blast in 1991 and her grandmother former Prime Minister Indira Gandhi was assassinated by her security men, following Operation Blue Star in 1984.

Citing a law-and-order problem, the Yogi government has prohibited Congress leaders from visiting Lakhimpur Kheri to meet with the families of the deceased farmers.

But Rahul Gandhi has been adamant about meeting the families. “I am going to Lucknow,” he announced before the media.