Priyanka visits Muzaffarnagar, meets families affected by violent CAA protests

Shahira Naim

Tribune News Service

Lucknow, January 4

Charging the police with unleashing an uncalled-for reign of terror in Muzaffarnagar, Congress general secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra on Saturday assured the victims of all possible help.

Accompanied by former MLAs Imran Masood and Pankaj Malik, Priyanka met the family of 25-year old driver and labourer from Khalapar, Noor Mohammad, who was shot in his left temple near Meenakshi Chowk during the December 20 violence.

“The condition of the family is very painful. The 22-year old wife is seven months pregnant and has a year-old daughter. She is completely alone,” said Priyanka.

Earlier, a delegation of the Congress had given Rs 1 lakh to the family.

She also met Maulana Asad Mohammad, head of the madrassa where the police had “forcibly entered” the Saadat hostel and “beat up the students”.

“The maulana’s hand is fractured; he has bruises all over his body. He told me that around 50 policemen had forcibly entered the hostel and mercilessly beat up the students. They had put the children in jail, some of whom are minors. Some have since been released.”

She also met Ruqaiya Parveen, whose marriage was scheduled for February 4. The family told Priyanka that the police had ransacked the house taking away the trousseau. She was beaten up and has 16 stitches on her forehead. Her brother was also arrested and the marriage would happen only after he was released, Priyanka was told.

Responding to a question as to how the Congress would help the victims, Priyanka promised to stand with all those who had faced injustice.

She said that in a detailed letter written to Governor Anandiben Patel she had listed the various cases of police atrocities without any reason across the state, including the cases in Muzaffarnagar.

Asked to comment on the attack on the Nankana Sahib gurdwara in Pakistan, Priyanka said she would always condemn what is wrong.