Congress General Secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra has been arrested and a case was registered against her for defying prohibitory orders to visit Lakhimpur Kheri on Monday.
Gandhi and other party leaders were detained when they were going to meet the victims of the violence that erupted during a farmers' protest in Lakhimpur Kheri on Sunday.
The PAC guest house where she was under detention since Monday, has been notified as a temporary jail.
According to news agency ANI, the case has been filed under Sections 151, 107 and 116, on a report given by the station house officer of Hargaon to the magistrate.
"These are preventive sections. Once we get assurance that there would not be violation of peace by them these sections will be removed," Sitapur Sub-divisional Magistrate Pyare Lal Maurya told news agency PTI.
Meanwhile, support poured in for Priyanka Gandhi after her arrest.
Shiv Sena Rajya Sabha MP Sanjay Raut called for joint action by political parties against this "oppression". "Lakhimpur Kheri violence has shaken the nation, Priyanka Gandhi has been arrested by the UP government, opposition leaders are being restricted from meeting farmers. There is a need for joint opposition action against oppression by the Government in UP," Raut tweeted
Senior Congress leader P Chidambaram slammed the Uttar Pradesh government and said Priyanka Gandhi Vadra's arrest is "completely illegal and utterly shameful". "It's completely illegal and utterly shameful. She was arrested at 4:30 am, before sunrise by a male police officer. She has not been taken to a judicial magistrate so far yet," said Chidambaram. He added, "Law and order in UP means Mr Adityanath's law and order which is not the criminal procedure code." He went on to allege, "This is a violation of the fundamental right of Priyanka Gandhi and other detainees. CM Yogi Adityanath and BJP are making India an unfree country."
India is a democracy on paper, but its grim descent into a banana republic has begun, PDP president Mehbooba Mufti said while slamming the arrest of Priyanka Gandhi. "GOI first gets a docile media to berate Congress & lament lack of a viable opposition but systematically ensures they don't discharge their duties by illegal arrests. We are a democracy on paper but clearly the grim descent into a banana republic has begun. Release @priyankagandhi," the former Jammu and Kashmir chief minister said.
Karnataka Congress chief DK Shivakumar said that no person has been arrested so far in connection with the Lakhimpur Kheri incident and alleged that Uttar Pradesh Police arrested Priyanka Gandhi for consoling the family of deceased farmers. "The lesson that Gandhiji taught us is to fight on the path of non-violence... We are following the Gandhiji way of protest," said Shivakumar. "Union minister's son kills four people by running over a car on protesting farmers... Whoever caused this has not been arrested, the minister has not resigned, is it a government?" added Shivakumar. "Our leader Priyanka Gandhi has been arrested by the Uttar Pradesh police for consoling the family of the dead farmers. It is a political duty to console," he further said.
Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot hit out at BJP governments at the Centre and in Uttar Pradesg over the killing of farmers in UP's Lakhimpur Kheri, saying democracy was under "threat" in the country. Addressing a dharna at the Rajasthan Congress Pradesh Committee (PCC) office against the Lakhimpur violence and detention of party general secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, Gehlot said the video of the incident shared by Gandhi is sufficient to substantiate the allegation and no other evidence is needed.
Navjot Singh Sidhu said Punjab Congress will march towards Lakhimpur Kheri if Priyanka Gandhi Vadra is not released by tomorrow. Taking to Twitter, the cricketer-turned-politician said, "If, by tomorrow, the Union Minister’s son behind the brutal murder of Farmers is not arrested, and our leader @PriyankaGandhi being unlawfully arrested, fighting for farmers is not released, the Punjab Congress will march towards Lakhimpur Kheri!"
(With inputs from agencies)