'BJP works for protection of cows, Congress workers celebrate killing': Smriti Irani

Union Minister Smriti Irani on Sunday hit out at the Congress party over issues of farmers' welfare and cow protection. She claimed that the people of Uttar Pradesh "very well know" how the celebrations of the killing of cows were observed by the Congress workers.

'Do you think people will forgive them?'

When asked about 'Gai Bachao, Kisan Bachao' marches on which Priyanka Gandhi has tweeted, Irani told ANI, "Those who captured the lands of Uttar Pradesh farmers never returned it...who got advertisements published after the brutal killing of cows by their officials in Kerala? Do you think people will forgive them?"

"The people of UP very well know how much work the BJP has done for the protection of cows and the people very well know how the celebrations of the killing of cows were observed by the Congress workers. The top leaders of the Congress party have encouraged these people," she alleged. The dual policy of Congress is known to the people of the state, the BJP MP from Amethi said.

Congress' 'Gai Bachao, Kisan Bachao' march

Uttar Pradesh Congress president Ajay Kumar Lallu and over 50 party workers were arrested in Lalitpur on Saturday after they tried to take out the 'Gai Bachao, Kisan Bachao' march without permission, but were released hours later, according to the police. However, district Congress president Balwant Singh Rajput, who was among those arrested, claimed around 200 party workers were held. He also alleged that about two dozen party workers were injured as the police used force against them.

Priyanka Gandhi Vadra had tweeted images of the Congress workers clashing with the police and wrote, "No power in the world can stop you from raising the question of farmers' interest."

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The Congress had announced that it will take out the 'Gai Bachao, Kisan Bachao' march in different districts of Bundelkhand to highlight the alleged mismanagement in cow shelters under the state government. The announcement came days after Congress’ UP East in-charge Priyanka Gandhi Vadra wrote to CM Yogi Adityanath about the plight of gaushalas (cowsheds) in the state and also deaths of several cows at a gaushala.

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