NCP leaders, including party chief Sharad Pawar, on Thursday criticized the Uttar Pradesh government after Congress leaders Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi Vadra's convoy was stopped by police while they were going to visit Hathras victim's family.
After being stopped in Greater Noida by UP Police, the Congress leaders proceeded on foot towards Hathras.
Taking to Twitter, Pawar said the "reckless behaviour" of Uttar Pradesh Police towards Rahul Gandhi is "extremely condemnable".
"It is reprehensible for those who are supposed to uphold the law to trample upon the democratic values in such a manner," Pawar tweeted.
Seconding Pawar, Maharashtra Minister and state NCP chief Jayant Patil alleged that the incident highlighted the BJP's practice of "taking name of Lord Ram, but acting like Nathuram", an apparent reference to Mahatma Gandhi's assassin Nathuram Godse.
"Treating a key leader of a key party thus is condemnable," he said.
Maharashtra Home Minister Anil Deshmukh told reporters here that there should be no objection to a leader of a political party going there (Hathras) to condole with the family.
"I feel quite surprised that the Uttar Pradesh government did not allow a senior leader of the party to meet the kin. This is a very serious issue," he said.
NCP MP Supriya Sule also condemned the UP Police's action.
A large number of Congress workers from Uttar Pradesh accompanied the two leaders on their march towards Hathras. They also raised slogans against the UP government.
