Day 1: SP observes 'Ghera Dalo, Dera Dalo' with minor incidents

Lucknow, Oct 21 (UNI) The Mulayam Singh Yadav led-Samajwadi Party (SP) activists staged a vociferous protest on the first day of its 'Ghera Dalo, Dera Dalo' agitation, offering arrests across Uttar Pradesh against the ''anti-people'' policies of the Mayawati government in the state.

Addressing the press, SP state spokesperson Rajendra Chaudhary said nearby 10 lakh party activists today took part in the three-day long 'Ghera Dalo, Dera Dalo' protest obeserved at the party headquarters across the state.

He alleged the ruling BSP government tried to crush the voice of the agitators through police lathicharge in Lucknow, Kanpur, Meerut, Banda, Ghaziabad and other districts.

Mr Chaudhary accused the police of mandhandling women activists, including the Samajwadi Mahila Sabha Lucknow president, during the agitation.

According to reports, the agitation was spearheaded by SP state unit working president Shivpal Singh Yadav in Etawah, Banwari Lal Kanchan in Lucknow, MP Akhilesh Yadav in Kannauj, MP Dharmendra Yadav in Mainpuri, Leader of opposition in the Assembly Ahmad Hassan in Ambedkarnagar and Sahab Singh in Baghpat.

During the protest, the mob ranted anti-state government slogans and charged it with trapping the SP leaders in fake cases, indulging in corrupt practices and ignoring the welfare of the people.

Reports from Deoaria, meanwhile, stated the party workers carried out the protest after breaking the Prohibitory orders that were clamped in the district under section 144 of IPC.

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