Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Wednesday referring to the Lakhimpur Kheri incident said that it is the job of the Opposition to put pressure on the government that does not want the issue to come into the light.
While addressing the media persons here, Rahul Gandhi said: "The job of the opposition is to create pressure on the government as it is doing injustice with the farmers. We had created a pressure during the Hathras incident and that is why action was taken."
"The government does not want the issue to come into the light. This is why the opposition is creating pressure," he said.
The Waynad MP further said, "It is the responsibility of the media to raise the issue, but when we (Opposition) ask questions, raise the issue, then, you (media) say that we are doing politics."
He also said that there is no democracy in the country as the Opposition leaders are barred from entering Lakhimpur, where 8 people, including 4 farmers, died on Sunday.
"Earlier, there was democracy in the country. Today it is a dictatorship. The government is insulting the farmers. The opposition leaders are barred from entering Lakhimpur. This is what happens in a dictatorship."
"We are trying to tell the government to let the country function according to democratic processes It is a safety valve," he added.
A 3-member delegation of the Congress Party led by Rahul Gandhi is scheduled to visit Uttar Pradesh's Lakhimpur Kheri on Wednesday to meet families of victims killed on Sunday.
"Today, with two CMs we will visit Lakhimpur Kheri in Uttar Pradesh to understand the situation there and support the farmers' families," he said.
However, the Uttar Pradesh government has denied permission to the Congress delegation in the wake of Section 144 of the Criminal Procedure Code (CrPC) that has been imposed in Lucknow.
"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," said Lucknow Police Commissioner.
The District Magistrate of Lakhimpur Kheri has imposed section 144 of the Code of Criminal Procedure (CrPC), which prohibits assembly of five or more people at a time, following the Sunday incident. Soon after the violent incident at Lakhimpur Kheri, political leaders made a beeline to visit the site and expressed their desire to meet the families of the victims.
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 arrived with three vehicles around the time that farmers were dispersing from their protest at the helipad and mowed down farmers and towards the end also attacked SKM leader Tajinder Singh Virk directly, by trying to run a vehicle over him.
However, Ashish Mishra refuted SKM's allegations and said he was not present at the spot where the incident took place.
As many as eight people died in the Lakhimpur Kheri incident on Sunday, said Uttar Pradesh police.
MoS Teni also said that his son was not present at the spot, adding that some miscreants mingled with protesting farmers and pelted the stones at the car which lead to the 'unfortunate incident'.
( With inputs from ANI )
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