Uttar Pradesh police on Thursday stopped Samajwadi Party workers in Moradabad who were proceeding towards Rampur for a show of strength for party leader Azam Khan and his son after police carried out raids at Jauhar University earlier this week.
"We are going to Rampur to protest against the injustice being meted out to Abdullah Azam, Azam Khan, Jauhar University and the people of Rampur," said Samajwadi Party leader Dharmendra Yadav in Moradabad.
Speaking to media reporters in Moradabad where police were seen stopping the party's workers, Dharmendra Yadav attacked the Yogi Adityanath government for its handling the issue of Unnao rape victim's road accident.
He said, "The government is concerned more about Rampur and less about Unnao where the girl is fighting for her life. The government, however, is not concerned about the girl and they have not taken action against the accused BJP MLA."
Yadav further accused the government of targeting people based on caste and religion, he said-- "From Ghazipur to Ghaziabad, there is no place left in Uttar Pradesh where people are not being killed based on caste and religion by the government."
To protest against this injustice, I will walk barefoot to Rampur if I have to, Yadav added.
SP chief Akhilesh Yadav has asked all party workers to reach Rampur in a big show of strength to support Azam Khan and his son on their allegations that the Yogi government was targetting them through the raids.
The district administration of Rampur on Thursday imposed Section 144, which prohibits an assembly of more than five people as Samajwadi Party workers were expected to gather in protest against the detention of Abdullah Azam, the son of MP Azam Khan.
Abdullah Azam was detained by the police for obstructing raids carried out at Jauhar University in Rampur on Wednesday.
Police have claimed to have recovered more than 2500 expensive books, stolen furniture and manuscripts from the raids.
( With inputs from ANI )