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The Uttar Pradesh government on Wednesday has permitted Congress leaders Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi to visit Lakhimpur Kheri, where four farmers lost their lives in a violent incident on Sunday. Meanwhile, Rahul Gandhi along with Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel and Punjab Chief Minister Charanjit Singh Channi has boarded a flight for Lucknow from New Delhi.
"The state government has given permission to Congress leaders Rahul Gandhi, Priyanka Gandhi and three other people to visit Lakhimpur Kheri," the Home Department, Uttar Pradesh Government said on Wednesday.
Earlier the Uttar Pradesh government had denied permission to Rahul Gandhi to visit the Lakhimpur Kheri district in wake of a law and order situation. Baghel, who was scheduled to go to Lakhimpur Kheri, on Tuesday also claimed that he was not being allowed to leave the Lucknow airport.
"The government has denied permission to Rahul Gandhi. If he arrives in Lucknow, we will request him at the airport not to visit Lakhimpur Kheri and Sitapur. Superintendent of Police (SP) and District Magistrate (DM) of Lakhimpur and Sitapur urged us to stop him from coming in wake of local law and order situation," Lucknow Police Commissioner had said.
Section 144 of the Criminal Procedure Code (CrPC) has been imposed in Lucknow.
Besides, the state's police also registered an FIR against Congress general secretary Priyanka Gandhi Varda and 11 others for "disturbing the peace" in the state. Priyanka Gandhi Vadra had claimed that she has been detained for the last 40 hours without any order or FIR.
On Sunday, eight people were killed in Lakhimpur Kheri following violence that broke out after a car hit protesting farmers. Apart from farmers, the four others included two BJP workers, a driver of Ajay Mishra, and Raman Kashyap, a journalist working for a private TV channel.
Samyukta Kisan Morcha, an umbrella body of several farmer unions, alleged that Ashish Mishra Teni, son of Union Minister of State for Home Affairs Ajay Mishra Teni killed one of the farmers while the others have been allegedly run over by the vehicles of his convoy.
However, Ashish Mishra refuted SKM's allegations and said he was not present at the spot where the incident took place.
Since the incident, opposition parties have united and have asked for justice for the deaths of innocents. Members of various political parties and student organisations staged demonstrations near the BJP headquarters and outside the Uttar Pradesh Bhawan to express their anger against the incident in Lakhimpur Kheri on Monday. And, the opposition has also been vocal on social media regarding the incident.
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