Lakhimpur Kheri Violence: Rahul Gandhi heads to UP district with two Congress CMs despite ban, slams ‘systematic attack’ on farmers

Launching a scathing attack on the Yogi Adityanath government, the former Congress president said that farmers were being killed as part of a "systematic attack"

Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Wednesday said he will visit violence-hit Lakhimpur Kheri in Uttar Pradesh today, along with two Congress chief ministers Charanjit Singh Channi and Bhupesh Baghel. The Congress had written to the state government seeking permission for the visit, which has been denied citing the law and order situation.

Ahead of his visit, Gandhi, addressing a press conference, said that Section 144 has been imposed in Lakhimpur Kheri which bans gathering of five or more people and that is why he will be visiting the district with two people.

Launching a scathing attack on the Yogi Adityanath government, the former Congress president said that farmers were being killed as part of a “systematic attack” and said that criminals committing rape and murder were roaming outside the jail while the innocents were being imprisoned by the state government.

“Farmers are being mowed down by a jeep, they’re being murdered, the name of a union minister and his son is coming up in this incident (Lakhimpur Kheri). Yesterday, PM visited Lucknow but he didn’t visit Lakhimpur Kheri. It’s a systematic attack on farmers,” said Gandhi.

Gandhi said there is “dictatorship” in India now with politicians not being allowed to visit Uttar Pradesh to meet the families of the victims of the Lakhimpur Kheri incident.

He also said that media was not fulfilling its responsibility and instead accusing the Opposition of doing politics on the issue. “It is your responsibility too to exert pressure on the government, not just ours; you don’t fulfil your duty and then accuse us of politicising issues,” he said.

Earlier today, Lucknow Police Commissioner DK Thakur said that Gandhi has been denied permission to visit violence-hit Lakhimpur Kheri district, citing the law and order situation.

“Government has denied permission to Rahul Gandhi. If he arrives in Lucknow, we’ll request him at the airport not to visit Lakhimpur Kheri and Sitapur. SP and DM of Lakhimpur and Sitapur urged us to stop him from coming in wake of law & order situation,” Thakur said.

Prohibitory orders have been imposed in Lakhimpur Kheri, where eight people, including four farmers, were killed in Sunday’s violence during a protest, and in Sitapur, where Congress general secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra has been in detention since Monday.