Priyanka Gandhi to hold ‘Nadi Adhikar Yatra’ from Allahabad

PRAYAGRAJ, Feb 23 (HS): On Tuesday Priyanka Gandhi spelled out her plans to take out a ‘Nadi Adhikar Yatra’ in support of the Nishad community’s cause. She also announced a sum of Rs 10 lakh to the affected fishermen whose boats were damaged by Prayagraj police during anti-sand mining drive on Feb 4.

Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi Vadra tweeted in support of the Nishad community. She had visited Prayagraj on Sunday to meet the members of the community. “The real claimants and protectors of the river are the people of the Nishad community. In Banswara, Prayagraj, we will fight against the oppression of UP police and for the rights of Nishad society. The Nishad families whose boats have been demolished will be provided with a financial assistance of Rs. 10 lakh,” Gandhi said in a series of tweets.

Gandhi announced that Congress will organize a ‘Nadi Adhikar Yatra (Right to the river rally) in support of the Nishad community. Adding that since Nishads have a primary right over the resources of the river, a cooperative society should be formed for legalising and regulating sand mining activities in the Yamuna river. “Congress will take out the Nadi Adhikar Yatra for the rights of the Jan Nishad community. Nishads have the primary rights over the resources of the river. With this idea in mind we demand the formation of a Nishadraj Cooperative Society for sand mining activities,” she tweeted.

In a series of tweets in Hindi, she said that the rights of river resources are of the fishermen community and the Congress will be taking out a Yatra to fight for the rights. She demanded that the government should investigate the illegal sand mining and the mining being done by big companies. She also has sought a white paper from the government detailing the rivers where mining was being done.

Earlier on Sunday, the Congress General Secretary visited Prayagraj to support the boatmen who were allegedly harassed by the local police. She was informed by a boatman named Sujit Nishad about the issues that the boatmen belonging to the Nishad community were facing torture, including brutality against them, by police who, she alleged, had destroyed their boats.