Six-year-old Anabia Imaan in Azamgarh has received a surprise postcard and gifts from Congress general secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra.
The handwritten postcard, written in Hindi in black ink, reads: “Dear Anabia, I have bought a few things for you. I hope you will like them. Always remain my ‘brave girl’ and whenever you want to, call me. Lots of love, Priyanka Aunty.”
The postcard and gifts which included a bag and diary were recived on Wednesday afternoon.
On February 12, Priyanka had reached Bilariyaganj block in Azamgarh district in the aftermath of a police crackdown on anti-CAA protesters. Dressed in a black kurta dotted with shibori patterns, Priyanka had met women who had faced tear gas and rubber pellets from the police. The women had made a beeline to shake hands with her while sharing their stories of police atrocities. It was during one such meeting that Priyanka had also consoled Anabia, draping an arm around her and wiping her tears. The class one student, clad in a green sweater, had broken down when asked how she was doing.
Tarique Shafique, an Azamgarh based social activist, told THE WEEK that the police had been merciless in dealing with the protesters at Jauhar Ali Park in Bilariyaganj. “The police crackdown came at 4 am when the men were not around. Women were lathi-charged. Even children were not spared. One protester, Sarwari, had her head hit by a stone and had to be operated upon,” Shafique said. The protest had been on since February 4 and a day later the police had cracked down on it. Another protester told THE WEEK that among those jailed were those who had to appear for their state board exams which started on February 18.
The police version was that the women had started pelting stones at the police and thus force had to be used to control them.
