Priyanka Gandhi’s visit prompts Yogi to act but INC holding river yatra to keep up the pressure

When police stormed Baswar village in Prayagraj and beat up fishermen on allegations of illegal fishing, Congress national general secretary Priyanka Gandhi rushed to the rescue of the members of the Nishad community. The response she got in the region was so tremendous that Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath sent a senior minister to the village on a salvage mission.

The knee jerk reaction of the UP Chief Minister shows that Priyanka’s visit has hit the BJP where it hurts the most – the vote bank. To keep up the pressure on the BJP government Congress launched a 20-day “Nadi Adhikar Yatra” campaign in support of the Nishad or the fishermen community.

The Yatra will start from Prayagraj and will conclude in Ballia after covering Mirzapur, Bhadohi, Varanasi, Chandausi and Ghazipur, Priyanka Gandhi will join the Yatra mid-way near Ballia or Varanasi – Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s constituency.

On February 5 police entered Baswar village, inhibited by members of the Nishad community, and bat up villagers for their alleged role in illegal fishing and mining. Police even damaged their boats and houses. When Priyanka went there on February 23, villagers narrated their plight and she assured all help to the fishing community. She even announced an assistance of Rs 10 lakh which was given to the villagers on February 26 by Uttar Pradesh Congress Committee chief Ajay Kumar Laloo.

The same day UP Government ordered a magisterial enquiry into the incident – 21 days after the scuffle was reported between police and Nishad community. Chief Minister sent Uttar Pradesh Cabinet Minister and spokesperson Siddharth Nath Singh and BJP MP Reeta Bhuguna Joshi to Baswar village on February 27 with an instruction that the problems of Nishad community should be redressed.

Minister Siddharth Nath Singh announced that the Magisterial enquiry would be conducted in ten days and in the meantime, the policemen alleged to be involved in roughing up the aggrieved persons would be sent to police lines.

He admitted that boats were damaged in the scuffle and were already being repaired. He also declared that cases lodged against the members of the Nishad community would be withdrawn

The question raised is why it took the state government three weeks to order a magisterial inquiry besides issuing an order to withdraw cases against villagers. What would have happened if Priyanka Gandhi had not visited the village and met the aggrieved Nishad community people-are questions being asked by people.

“Government woke up after Priyanka’s meeting with fishermen who were mercilessly beaten up by the police. The Nadi adhikaar Yatra will prove a death knell for this corrupt and inefficient government,” said Ajay Kumar Lallu