Priyanka Gandhi Vadra's Detention "Totally Illegal": P Chidambaram

P Chidambaram underlined that no woman can be arrested after sunset or before sunrise and Priyanka Gandhi Vadra was arrested at 4.30 am, "which is illegal".

Describing Congress general secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra's detention as "totally illegal", senior party leader P Chidambaram on Tuesday said it has "conclusively" established that there is no rule of law in Uttar Pradesh, and alleged that the police seem to be carrying out Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath's law and his order.

Ms Gandhi was detained in Sitapur on her way to Lakhimpur Kheri where eight people were killed on Sunday. While four of the dead in Sunday's incident were farmers, allegedly knocked down by vehicles driven by BJP workers travelling to welcome Uttar Pradesh Deputy Chief Minister Keshav Prasad Maurya, the others included BJP workers and their driver who were allegedly lynched.

In a statement, Mr Chidambaram said, the facts and circumstances concerning Ms Gandhi's detention in Sitapur "conclusively establish that there is no rule of law in UP".

"She was 'arrested' at 4.30 am on Monday, 4th October. She has been detained in the PAC guest house at Sitapur. The District Collector and the judicial magistrate concerned are both stationed in Sitapur. Her arrest and detention are totally illegal and an abuse of power," the former home minister said.