Lagatar24 Desk
New Delhi, Oct.6: Rahul Gandhi, the Congress leader, slammed the central government over the violence in Lakhimpur Kheri, stating that farmers are being targeted on a systematic basis. He said he will try to visit Lakhimpur Kheri alongside two chief ministers to see the relatives of the farmers killed on Sunday during a press conference in New Delhi.
Today, with two CMs we will visit Lakhimpur Kheri in Uttar Pradesh to understand the situation there and support the farmers' families. Yes, Priyanka has been put under detention (in Sitapur) but this is a matter relating to the farmers: Rahul Gandhi, Congress pic.twitter.com/IzTVk6HSKd
— ANI (@ANI) October 6, 2021
The Uttar Pradesh government has already denied the Congress team permission to enter, citing Section 144 prohibitory orders. Since Tuesday night, police barricades have been put on the road leading to Lakhimpur Kheri to prevent political figures from visiting the district.
Govt has denied permission to Rahul Gandhi. If he arrives in Lucknow, we'll request him at the airport not to visit Lakhimpur Kheri & Sitapur. SP & DM of Lakhimpur & Sitapur urged us to stop him from coming in wake of law & order situation: DK Thakur, Lucknow Police Commissioner pic.twitter.com/FVcwm82Vlr
— ANI UP/Uttarakhand (@ANINewsUP) October 6, 2021
“The rights of the farmers are being systematically robbed. And this is why they are protesting. It started with the land acquisition bill, then the farm laws were passed and now this,” said Rahul Gandhi.
“Our work as an opposition party is to build pressure to force the government to act. If we didn’t do this, nothing would have happened in Hathras too,” he added.
He also chastised the Uttar Pradesh administration for detaining Chhattisgarh chief minister and Congress leader Bhupesh Baghel at the Lucknow airport, claiming that Section 144 only applies to groups of four or more individuals, but Baghel was travelling alone.
Rahul Gandhi is expected to land at Lucknow airport at 12.30pm, from where he will try to head to Lakhimpur Kheri.