Oppn looks to corner govt, Yogi vows justice

NEW DELHI: The violence in Uttar Pradesh’s Lakhimpur Kheri triggered a political slugfest on Sunday, with the Opposition parties looking to corner the state government and chief minister Yogi Adityanath promising to punish the guilty.

Eight people were killed as clashes broke out in the region after a car hit protesting farmers, prompting an angry crowd to burn two vehicles and widen their agitation.

Several opposition leaders, including those from the Congress and Trinamool Congress (TMC), said they will go to Lakhimpur Kheri to meet the families of the deceased.

“The brutal treatment meted out to farmers in Uttar Pradesh is unforgivable. I am a farmer. I understand the pain of the farmers. I will go to Lakhimpur tomorrow morning to stand by them in these difficult circumstances,” Chhattisgarh chief minister and Congress UP incharge Bhupesh Baghel said. UP Congress spokesperson Ashok Singh party general secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra will also visit the region on Monday. “Priyankaji has left for Lakhimpur Kheri,” news agency PTI quoted him as saying.

West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee condemned the incident, calling it barbaric. “I strongly condemn the barbaric incident in Lakhimpur Kheri. The apathy of @Bjp4india towards our farmer brethren pains me deeply. A delegation of 5 @Aitcofficial MPS will be visiting the families of the victims tomorrow.,” Banerjee tweeted.

Adityanath maintained that the state government will carry out an in-depth probe into the incident and take strict action against the guilty, according to a government statement. “Chief minister had expressed grief in the Lakhimpur incident. He called the incident very unfortunate. Uttar Pradesh government will investigate the matter in detail and will take strict actions against the culprits,” the statement said.