Lucknow police on Monday arrested Shahanwaz Alam, the chairman of the Uttar Pradesh Congress minority cell for his alleged role in the anti-CAA riots that took place in December 2019. Congress leaders circulated a CCTV video in which cops were taking a person from outside an apartment located close to the Chief Minister’s residence. He is believed to be a close aide of Congress General Secretary and Congress Interim President Sonia Gandhi’s daughter Priyanka Gadhi Vadra.
https://twitter.com/INCMinority/status/1277650462703935488?ref_src=twsrc%5EtfwDCP central Dinesh Singh issued a statement in which he confirmed that they had arrested Shahanwaz for his involvement in anti-CAA protest on 19th December 2019 in Lucknow that turned violent. He added that they arrested Alam after gathering evidence against him.
Congress leaders protest against the arrest
Ajay Kumar Lallu, UP Congress chief and Aradhna Mishra, state Congress legislative party leader reached the Hazratgant police station with party workers following Alam’s arrest. They got into an argument with the senior cops while enquiring about the arrest. The Congress leaders alleged that police lathi-charged the Congress workers to disperse them.
Ashok Singh, UP Congress spokesman was quoted by India Today as saying, “Shahanwaz, his driver and a party worker, were picked up by the police on Monday late evening. However, the police arrested Shahanwaz and released the other two people. The cops also impounded a vehicle. This government is behaving like an autocrat and is unnecessarily targeting Congress leaders and workers who are exposing the wrongdoings of the state government.” He added that Ajay Lallu was also arrested earlier and now other leaders are being arrested.
Who is Shahanwaz Alam?
Hailing from Balia district, Shahanwaz Alam was appointed as the head of Uttar Pradesh minority cell in January 2020. He has been a member of AISA, the communist party’s student wing during his college days and actively participated in student politics.