Anti-CAA protests: Trinamool Congress delegation detained at Lucknow airport

LUCKNOW: A four-member Tribamool Congress delegation, which was on its way to meet the kin of those killed during recent violent protests across Uttar Pradesh against the amended citizenship law, were detained at the Lucknow airport on Sunday afternoon.

The four Trinamool leaders include former Union Railway Minister Dinesh Trivedi, former Lok Sabha MP Pratima Mondal and two sitting Rajya Sabha MPs Abir Ranjan Biswas and Nadimul Haque. The Trinamool Congress delegation had arrived in Lucknow to meet the people and families of those hit by the December 19 violent protests.

“As soon as we got down from the airplane we were surrounded by the police. When we boarded the bus the police made all the passengers disembark. We were taken by the police to a secular spot on the runway. We are sitting on the ground in dharna. Net is down so the message may reach you late,” a message shared by Trinamool MP Haque read.

Meanwhile, a group of Samajwadi Party, which had gone to meet the TMC delegation, was also stopped by the police. It included SP MLAs Nafees Ahmad and Arvind Singh and MLCs Rajpal Kashyap and Udaiveer Singh.

Speaking to this reporter Ahmad said, “The TMC delegation is inside. We are not allowed to meet them. Nobody is letting us know what their crime is”.

Uttar Pradesh DGP OP Singh had earlier said that the Trinamool Congress delegation, which wants to meet people in Lucknow, won't be allowed as Section 144 is imposed in the area and it can make the atmosphere tense.

Sources said that the delegation would be sent to either Kolkata or Delhi by the next available flight.