SP agitation continues; party leaders stage dharna outside jail

Lucknow, Jan 11 (UNI) The Opposition Samajwadi Party's agitation in Uttar Pradesh continued today for the third day, with several senior leaders sitting on dharna in front of the district jail here to protest the denial of permission to meet the arrested party workers.

SP Member of Parliament Jai Prakash Rawat, legislators Udayraj Yadav along with several other party workers staged dharna, when the Lucknow jail authorities denied them entry inside the jail.

However, senior party leader and MP Akhilesh Yadav was allowed to enter the jail.

The SP leaders and workers raised slogans against the Mayawati government and claimed that the officials had no right to restrict their entry in the jail to meet party workers.

Mr Rawat told UNI here that while Mr Akhilesh Yadav was given an entry the jail, others were detained outside.'' As an MP, I have all right to meet the SP workers,'' he claimed.

After they were denied entry inside the jail, the leaders and workers sat on dharna demanding permission inside.

Altogether, 25 Samajwadi Party activists were in jail after they created ruckus during a function at a college in the state capital on Tuesday night.

The SP activists were demanding immediate restoration of the students union elections in the state.

UNI MB VB BDP KN1507