By PTI
NEW DELHI: Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Wednesday alleged that farmers are being “systematically attacked” and 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.
Addressing a press conference, Gandhi said he along with two Congress Chief Ministers — Bhupesh Baghel (Chhattisgarh) and Charanjit Singh Channi (Punjab) — will try to visit Lakhimpur Kheri to meet the families hit by the violence.
Lucknow Police Commissioner D K Thakur told PTI that the Uttar Pradesh government has not given permission for Gandhi’s visit, and he will not be allowed to go to Sitapur or Lakhimpur.
“The UP government has not yet given permission for Rahul Gandhi’s visit to Lakhimpur and has asked him not to come,” Thakur said.
“DMs of districts concerned have given us in writing that prohibitory orders are in place there and his visit could create problems. Therefore, he will not be allowed,” Thakur said.
Gandhi charged that farmers are being mowed down and the name of a union minister and his son is coming up, but no action is being taken.
Farmers of the country are being “systematically attacked”, he alleged.
“There used to be democracy, there is dictatorship in India now.
Politicians cannot go to Uttar Pradesh.
We are being told since yesterday that we cannot go to Uttar Pradesh,” Gandhi said.
Four of the eight dead in Sunday’s violence in Lakhimpur Kheri were farmers, allegedly knocked down by vehicles driven by BJP workers travelling to welcome Uttar Pradesh Deputy Chief Minister Keshav Prasad Maurya to an event in the area.
The others including BJP workers and their driver were allegedly pulled out of the vehicles and lynched by the protesters.
The Uttar Pradesh Police has lodged a case against Union Minister of State for Home Ajay Mishra’s son Ashish but no arrest has been made so far.
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.
Former Rajasthan deputy chief minister Sachin Pilot will reach Sitapur by road via the Ghazipur border on Wednesday, party sources said.
He will land at the Delhi airport and head to Sitapur from there, they added.
He also has plans to go to Lakhimpur Kheri, where four farmers were killed in violence that erupted during a protest on Sunday, the sources said.
“Pilot is leaving Jaipur shortly,” the party sources said.