Reacting to the Lakhimpur Kheri incident, leader of the Communist Party of India (Marxist) and former Rajya Sabha MP, Sitaram Yechury, on Wednesday, said the Narendra Modi government at the Centre and the Yogi Adityanath government in Uttar Pradesh could be compared to British rule in India.
"This sort of atrocities and brutalities were seen during the British rule and that is what Modi government and UP government is doing. This incident also reminds us of atrocities committed by Britishers in Champaran... This government has a habit of torturing and this habit is increasing every day," Yechury said.
On the issue of UP government denying permission to Congress leader Rahul Gandhi to visit Lakhimpur Kheri citing the law and order situation, CPI leader said, "In India, any citizen can travel in any part of the country. Now, how a state government can say that you cannot enter my state? This is an outright violation of our constitution."
He demanded that the person responsible for the Lakhimpur Kheri incident should be put behind bars as soon as possible.
"Registration of FIR does not mean that the investigation is started. Start the investigation and arrest whoever is responsible," said Yechury.
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 site of the incident.
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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