'Hyderabad-like crimes taking place in UP every day': Cong leader Rajiv Shukla

Lucknow: Alleging poor law and order, senior Congress leader Rajiv Shukla here on Friday said incidents like the Hyderabad rape-and-murder were taking place in Uttar Pradesh on a daily basis.

"Law and order is dismal. Women are not safe in Uttar Pradesh. Incidents (against women) are taking place on a daily basis. In UP, every day a Hyderabad (like incident) is taking place," Shukla said recounting crime against women in Mainpuri, Unnao and Chitrakoot.

Talking to mediapersons in the party office here, Shukla said Congress general secretary too had expressed anguish over such incidents and discussed ways and means to launch an agitation for the security of women.

The Congress leader said Priyanka was holding a meeting with party men to review the preparations for the Congress rally scheduled for December 14 in New Delhi.

"The rally is being staged to highlight farmer suicides and the bad shape of economy on which even the RBI has expressed concern but the Union government is silent," he said.

When asked about the preparations for the 2022 UP assembly polls, Shukla said Priyanka Gandhi had been working towards strengthening the organisation.

On whether Priyanka Gandhi will be the CM face of the party in the next elections, he said it was not possible for him to speak on it but exuded confidence that she would emerge as the "voice of the common man".

If Congress will contest the assembly polls alone, he said, "It has been said earlier too. So far, the stand is to prepare the party on its own."