Lakhimpur Kheri violence a systematic attack on farmers, says Rahul Gandhi

Lucknow : Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Wednesday slammed the Bharatiya Janata Party and the Centre, claiming that systematic attacks are being carried out on the farmers from past some time.

After being denied a permission to visit Lakhimpur Kheri to express solidarity with the farmers who lost their lives in the incident, Rahul Gandhi said, he will try to visit the district as political leaders from BJP are being allowed and only their party leaders are being stopped from going there.

Rahul said that farmers are being mowed down by the BJP. "The name of the Union Minister, his son is coming up but no action is being taken," he said.

"Yesterday, the Prime Minister visited Lucknow but he didn't visit Lakhimpur Kheri. It's a systematic attack on farmers," the Congress leader said.

"Today, with two CMs we will visit Lakhimpur Kheri in Uttar Pradesh to understand the situation there and support the farmers' families. Yes, Priyanka has been put under detention (in Sitapur) but this is a matter relating to the farmers," he said.

Rahul Gandhi also mentioned that the imposed section 144 stops five people and they are only three people. "We have written them a letter... Opposition's job is to create pressure so that action is taken," he said.

On Monday morning, another Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi was detained in Sitapur as she tried to visit the Lakhimpur Kheri district to meet the families of the farmers died in the incident.

A total of eight people had lost their lives in the incident.

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