Rahul goes to Amethi, mum over Joshi remarks

After arriving here in the morning, Gandhi drove to Amethi without answering queries from journalists over what he thought of Rita Bahuguna Joshi's statements against Mayawati and her subsequent arrest.

"Rahul will hold meetings in all the five assembly constituencies in Amethi. The first meeting will take place in Salon," said a party leader, Akhilesh Pratap Singh.
According to party officials, Gandhi will hear the grievances of people in Amethi, about 150 km from here. Earlier this week, the town saw violent protests over poor supply of electricity.

"He will also meet people who the police baton charged during their demonstrations against erratic power supply," said a Congress leader.
Joshi was arrested after midnight Wednesday in Ghaziabad for giving a speech against Mayawati that the chief minister said was insulting to her as a woman and a Dalit. Joshi has been charged under the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act.

A mob shouting pro-Mayawati slogans later attacked and torched Joshi's house in Lucknow. The Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) has denied it was involved in the attack.

Congress president Sonia Gandhi has not reacted publicly to Joshi's remarks but has reportedly told her MPs from Uttar Pradesh that what Joshi said was "completely unacceptable".