After standoff, Rahul, Priyanka meet bereaved families in Lakhimpur Kheri
CMs of Chhattisgarh, Punjab accompanied the Congress leaders during the meeting
Congress lawmaker Rahul Gandhi and his sister Priyanka Gandhi Vadra on Wednesday finally managed to meet the families of the farmers who were killed in Sunday’s violence at Tikunia village in Lakhimpur Kheri district in Uttar Pradesh.
Rahul Gandhi, Priyanka Gandhi and other leaders met the family of deceased farmer Lovepreet at the Chaukhada farm in Palia at around 9pm. (IST) yesterday. They later met the family of journalist Raman Kashyap, who was also killed in violence. Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel, Punjab Chief Minister Charanjit Singh Channi and Rajya Sabha MP Deepender Singh Hooda accompanied the Gandhi siblings during their meetings with the farmers’ families.
The Lakhimpur district administration allowed only seven vehicles in the convoy to enter the district.
Tight security
The entire route from Sitapur to Lakhimpur Kheri was heavily barricaded. The Lakhimpur district administration allowed only seven vehicles in the convoy to enter the district.
Former Rajasthan Deputy CM Sachin Pilot and Congress leader Acharya Pramod Krishnam, however, were not so lucky as they were detained in Moradabad while they were on their way to Lakhimpur by car.
Samajwadi Party President Akhilesh Yadav and BSP General Secretary Satish Chandra Mishra will be visiting Lakhimpur on Thursday.
SC to hear case today
The Supreme Court has taken suo moto cognisance of the violence in Lakhimpur Kheri, where farmers were allegedly mowed down by a car on Oct. 3, triggering a violent backlash. Nine persons, including four farmers, were killed in the violence that had erupted during a farmers’ protest in Lakhimpur Kheri.
A bench headed by Chief Justice N.V. Ramana and comprising justices Surya Kant and Hima Kohli will hear the matter on Thursday. The matter has been listed as ‘violence in Lakhimpur Kheri leading to loss of life’. Earlier, two apex court lawyers had written to the Chief Justice seeking a CBI probe into the matter under the supervision of the top court.
The letter, written by advocates Shiv Kumar Tripathi and C.S. Panda, said: “With regard to the seriousness of the killing of the farmers in Lakhimpur Kheri in Uttar Pradesh, it is incumbent upon this Hon’ble Court to intervene in the matter as flashed in the press.”
The lawyers had claimed that of late, violence has become the political culture of the country.
The lawyers said that there is a need to protect the rule of law in ‘violence-ravaged’ Uttar Pradesh, which is evident from media reports.