The Uttar Pradesh government has allowed all political parties to visit Lakhimpur Kheri district, where eight people including four farmers, two BJP workers, a driver, and a local journalist Raman Kashyap were killed. Earlier, opposition leaders were prevented from meeting families of the deceased.
“All political parties permitted to visit Lakhimpur; only five people allowed,”Awanish Kumar Awasthi, Additional Chief Secretary, Home, was quoted as saying.
“The state govt has now permitted people in groups of five to visit Lakhimpur Kheri. Anyone who wants to go there can go now. The state govt had imposed restrictions to maintain law & order, not to restrict any movement,” ADG, Law & Order, Prashant Kumar was quoted as saying.
The state government, that had previously refused permission, has also allowed Congress leaders Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi Vadra to visit Lakhimpur Kheri. Rahul Gandhi was not allowed to visit the clash site in the wake of Section 144 imposed in Lucknow. Meanwhile, Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi Vadra was detained in Sitapur from October 4.
Aam Aadmi Party leader Sanjay Singh, also detained in Sitapur, has been given permission to meet families of those who died in the killings on October 3. “He [Sanjay Singh] has left for Lakhimpur just now. Police officials are taking him to Lakhimpur to meet farmers,” Vaibhav Prakash, state president, social media department, AAP, told Gaon Connection.
