Anti-CAA Stir: Priyanka Hits out at Yogi Over His ‘Badla’ Remark

Priyanka questioned Yogi’s saffron robes, saying they denote Hinduism, which has no place for violence or revenge.

(Photo: The Quint)

Congress General Secretary Priyanka Gandhi on Monday, 30 December, slammed Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath over the brutal crackdown against people protesting the new citizenship law, alleging the UP police was working to ensure Adityanath's “badla,” according to PTI.

Gandhi was referring to the UP CM's remark, who said his government would take revenge on anti-CAA protesters, by auctioning their property to compensate for the losses.

“The chief minister said they will take revenge. The police and the administration follow that. It is for the first time when a chief minister said that revenge will be taken from people and damages will be recovered,” Gandhi was quoted by ANI as saying.

Gandhi's statement comes two days after she accused the UP police of manhandling her while she was on her way to the residence of retired IPS officer SR Darapuri, who was arrested in connection with the recent protests over the Citizenship (Amendment) Act (CAA).

“The question of my security is not a big one. It is a small question on which there is no need to hold any discussion. I will not raise the issue of security because it is a trivial matter. It has nothing to do with the public,” she said, in an apparent reference to her alleged manhandling by police, according to PTI.

“The issue is the safety of common man in UP,” she asserted.

The Congress general secretary also questioned the CM's practice of wearing saffron robes, saying they denote Hinduism, which has no place for violence or “revenge”.

“He wears the dress of a Yogi. He wears saffron clothes. This saffron is not yours, it belongs to religious and spiritual tradition of India. It is a symbol of the Hindu religion. In that religion, there is no place for anger, violence and revenge.”

Priyanka Gandhi

‘CM Yogi Wore Saffron Clothes for Public Service'

Hours after Congress general secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra commented on saffron clothes of Adityanath, the latter's office hit back, asserting that he wore saffron robe for “public service after sacrificing everything.”

In a Hindi tweet, the CM's office tweeted, “Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath has worn saffron for public service after sacrificing everything else. He not only wears saffron, but also represents it. The saffron-coloured dress is for public welfare and nation building and Yogiji is a traveller on that path.”

Another Hindi tweet said, "Whosoever creates hinderance to the continuous 'yagya' of the 'sanyasi' (seer) for public service and public welfare, will face punishment. Those who are into politics through inheritance and indulge in politics of appeasement by ignoring the country will not understand the meaning of public service.”

(With inputs from PTI & ANI.)