Lucknow: A day after Congress and Samajwadi Party leaders protested outside the PM’s residence in Delhi over NEET paper leak, the UP BJP on Wednesday held protest in Lucknow against opposition’s attempt of “promoting anarchy and compromising security in one of the country’s most sensitive zones”.Rahul Gandhi had staged a sit-in at the PM residence and was later joined by SP chief Akhilesh Yadav. The two leaders were forcibly removed by the police.Led by state BJP president Pankaj Chaudhary, hundreds of party functionaries assembled outside the VVIP Guest House opposite Loreto Convent in the afternoon and then marched towards the UP Congress headquarters in Mall Avenue.The demonstration witnessed the participation of several senior BJP members, including legislators Neeraj Bora, OP Srivastava and Rajeshwar Singh, state vice-president Neeraj Singh, and general secretaries Sanjay Rai and Dilip Patel. The party also mobilised workers of its youth wing, Bharatiya Janata Yuva Morcha, for the protest.Addressing party workers, Chaudhary accused the Congress leaders of violating security protocols during Tuesday’s protest in Delhi and failing to adhere to constitutional norms that protect the prime minister.“The opposition crossed all limits of democratic conduct. Security arrangements around the PM are not merely administrative measures but part of the constitutional framework meant to protect the country’s highest elected office,” he said.Chaudhary said that the country’s youth are the architects of India’s future. “Instead of using youth and students as a stepping stone for political self-interest, the Congress should be concerned about their bright future,” he said.BJP supporters, many wearing saffron scarves and carrying party flags, turned up in large numbers at the protest venue. Organisers distributed flags not only among party workers but also among public and vendors gathered around the VVIP Guest House.As the march progressed, protesters raised slogans targeting the Congress leadership. Among the slogans frequently heard was “Congress ka haath, arajakta ke saath”, accusing the party of encouraging disorder and anarchy.BJP workers were mobilised from various organisational units across Lucknow for the demonstration. The large gathering spilled onto Mahatma Gandhi Marg, leading to traffic snarls and disruption in the adjoining areas during peak afternoon hours.Police personnel deployed along the route initially attempted to stop the protesters near the entrance of Mall Avenue. However, BJP workers pushed through the barricades and continued their march towards the Congress office.The police later strengthened the security cordon and halted the protesters a few metres before the Congress headquarters, preventing any direct confrontation between workers of the two parties. The situation remained under control, and no untoward incident was reported.The protest came amid escalating political confrontation between the BJP and the opposition over Tuesday’s demonstration near the PM’s residence, which triggered a sharp exchange of accusations over democratic dissent, security protocols and political conduct. The Congress protest was led by Rahul Gandhi.While the Congress has defended its protest as a legitimate expression of opposition to the Centre’s handling of the NEET paper leak, the BJP has accused opposition leaders of crossing accepted democratic and security boundaries.
