31 Samajwadi Party Members Face FIR for Protesting Outside Raj Bhavan in Lucknow

Officials reported that 31 members of the Samajwadi Party (SP) are facing charges for allegedly protesting near the Raj Bhavan without permission and clashing with police. The incident occurred on Tuesday, following controversial comments made by Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta about SP president Akhilesh Yadav. The FIR was filed at Hazratganj police station based on a complaint from sub-inspector Bagesh Sharma.

SP workers initiated a silent protest at GPO Park around 3:15 pm, led by Payal Kinnar. They wore black armbands to express their dissent against Gupta's remarks. By 4 pm, SP leaders Juhi Singh, Sumaiya Rana, and Vandana Chaturvedi joined with other women supporters. The group initially dispersed around 5 pm but returned to Raj Bhavan's gate No. 2 to continue their protest.

Protest Escalation and Police Involvement

As the protesters regrouped at Raj Bhavan, they began chanting slogans and staged a sit-in. When police tried to calm the situation, a scuffle broke out. The complaint noted that Payal Kinnar, Juhi Singh, Sumaiya Rana, Bina Rawat, Suman Yadav, Vandana Chaturvedi, and 25 unidentified women were involved in the altercation. They allegedly disrupted traffic and security arrangements at Raj Bhavan.

The FIR charges include disobedience to public orders, voluntarily causing hurt, and assaulting or using criminal force against a public servant under the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita. Assistant Commissioner of Police Hazratganj, Vikas Kumar Jaiswal, confirmed that investigations are ongoing to identify all involved parties.

Further Protests in Hapur

In Hapur, SP workers burned an effigy of Rekha Gupta on Wednesday in response to her "tonti chor" comment about Akhilesh Yadav. This act disrupted traffic flow in the area. Police intervened by seizing the effigy and filing an FIR against 43 protesters, including 13 named individuals and 30 unidentified ones, according to Kotwali police station SHO Manish Pratap Singh.

The protest at GPO Park was initially peaceful until it escalated near Raj Bhavan. The group had claimed they were returning to the SP office before unexpectedly resuming their demonstration. Efforts are being made to identify all participants involved in both incidents as investigations continue.

The events have sparked significant attention due to the involvement of prominent SP leaders and the nature of the protests. Authorities are working diligently to address the legal aspects of these demonstrations while maintaining public order.