Police on Monday detained Punjab Deputy Chief Minister Sukhjinder Singh Randhawa and other Congress MLAs in protest against the Lakhimpur Kheri incident on the UP-Haryana border. Punjab Chief Minister Charanjit Singh Channi had asked Randhawa and Punjab MLA Kuljit Singh Nagra to visit Lakhimpur Kheri to ascertain the situation and meet the bereaved families. He also planned to visit the area himself.
However, the Uttar Pradesh government on Sunday denied permission to Channi and Randhawa to visit Lakhimpur Kheri in view of the imposition of Section 144 due to incidents of violence. Eight people died in violence during farmers’ protest in Lakhimpur Kheri on Sunday ahead of UP Deputy CM Keshav Prasad Maurya’s visit.
According to Channi’s spokesperson, in response to a letter from the Chief Minister seeking permission to land the chopper, the Home Secretary, Government of UP, had informed the Director Civil Aviation, Punjab that it was not possible to grant permission to the CM and Deputy CM. In view of the law and order situation in Lakhimpur Kheri.
Earlier, Congress General Secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra started a hunger strike after she was detained while on her way to Lakhimpur Kheri in Sitapur district of UP. Congress leaders also protested outside his guest house and raised slogans against the BJP state government over his “arrest”.
Meanwhile, Punjab Congress President Navjot Singh Sidhu along with several party MLAs staged a sit-in outside the Raj Bhavan in Chandigarh on Monday. Sidhu, Madan Lal Jalalpur, Gurpreet Singh and many other Congress MLAs and members of Punjab Youth Congress staged a sit-in outside the residence of Governor Banwarilal Purohit and raised slogans against the BJP.
The Chandigarh Police detained Sidhu and other protesters and made them sit in a bus from outside the Raj Bhavan. The protesters were demanding the arrest of Union Minister of State for Home Ajay Mishra’s son for his alleged involvement in the Lakhimpur Kheri incident.
Four of the eight people killed in the Lakhimpur violence were in cars, apparently part of a convoy of BJP workers who had come to welcome the minister. He was allegedly beaten to death. Officials said there were four farmers. An FIR has been registered against Mishra’s son and many others.
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