Save Cows, Save Farmers March: Nearly 100 Congress workers detained in UP’s Banda

Around 100 Congress workers trying to take out a protest march against the "mismanagement" of state-run cow shelters were detained here on Thursday for allegedly violating prohibitory orders, police said.

The Congress is taking out the 'Gai Bachao, Kisan Bachao' yatra in the districts of the Bundelkhand region. The party has claimed that the alleged mismanagement of the state-run cow shelters has resulted in deaths of cattle in the recent past.

Around 100 Congress workers were taken into custody from near the Ken river bridge in Bhuragarh area for violating prohibitory orders, Circle Officer (city) Banda Alok Mishra said.

Congress leaders claimed the police took into custody senior leaders including state unit vice president Yogesh Dixit, general secretary Rahul Rai, secretary Abhimanyu Singh, district youth president Rajesh Dixit, district president of women's unit Seema Khan as soon as they arrived to take part in the yatra.

After detaining the first batch of 70 to 80 senior leaders and party workers, the police also took into custody the workers who subsequently arrived in groups to join the yatra, former Banda unit Congress president Saket Bihari Mishra said.

All those taken into custody have been sent to different police stations, he said.

Congress district unit president Rajiv Dikshit alleged that cows are dying of starvation in the state-run cow shelters and the government has no concern for them.

"The Congress leaders who are are raising their voice for saving cows are being arrested," he said.

On Wednesday, several Congress workers and leaders were taken into custody for taking out a 'Gai Bachao, Kisan Bachao' yatra in Mahoba without permission, the police had said.

Last week, Uttar Pradesh Congress president Ajay Kumar Lallu and 50 party workers were arrested in Lalitpur after they tried to take out the yatra without permission, according to the police.

On both these occasions, the Congress alleged, the police resorted to baton charge on party workers. The police, however, denied the use of force.