After Rahul, Priyanka flays Yogi govt over journalists arrest, says ‘using fear to control’

Hours after Congress president Rahul Gandhi took on Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath over the arrest of journalists for sharing and broadcasting alleged derogatory remarks against the Chief Minister, party general secretary in-charge of Eastern Uttar Pradesh Priyanka Gandhi Vadra also criticised him on Tuesday.

‘Uttar Pradesh government is using scare to control journalists, farmers and others instead of taking care of issues affected people”, Ms Priyanka tweeted, while sharing her brother’s tweet on the same issue.

Earlier in the day, Mr Gandhi has condemned the arrest of journalists, including Delhi based freelance journalist Prashant Kanojia, for sharing a post about Mr Adityanath.

Accusing Mr Adityanath of ‘behaving foolishly’, Mr Gandhi said that if every journalist who speaks out against him or engages in propaganda is arrested, there would be a newspaper staff shortage.

‘If every journalist who files a false report or peddles fake, vicious RSS/BJP sponsored propaganda about me is put in jail, most newspapers/ news channels would face a severe staff shortage. The UP CM is behaving foolishly & needs to release the arrested journalists,’ the Gandhi scion posted on Twitter.

Five people were arrested on charges of posting objectionable matter on social media against Mr Adityanath.

However, on Tuesday morning, the Supreme Court slammed the UP government and directed to release the Mr Kanojia immediately.