By Express News Service
LAKHIMPUR KHERI: AICC general secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra was detained in Sitapur on Monday early morning while on her way to Lakhimpur Kheri in the wake of violence that claimed 8 lives on Sunday.
Priyanka and other party leaders reached Lakhimpur border early Monday but alleged they were not allowed to meet the victims of the violence.
Priyanka, who is accompanied by party leader Deepender Singh Hooda among others, had to take alternative routes to reach the bordering Hargaon area in Saitapur as heavy security was deployed on the main roads amid tension in the violence-hit region of Lakhimpur.
“We are waiting outside Lakhimpur Kheri. We have been prevented by the police from entering. We have come here to meet the victims of the violence,” Congress national secretary Dheeraj Gurjar told PTI over the phone at 4.30 am.
Priyanka Gandhi’s convoy was earlier briefly stopped by the Uttar Pradesh Police officials in Lucknow, where the Congress general secretary had arrived on Sunday night, within a few hours of violence being reported during an anti-farm law to protest here.
Meanwhile, mobile internet services were suspended in parts of the violence-hit district, where restrictions under CrPC section 144 — which prohibits assembly of four or more people — has also been imposed, according to officials.
The UP police took to Twitter early Monday to describe the incident as “unfortunate” and said eight casualties have been reported so far as per the district administration.
“ADG LO, ACS Agriculture, IG Range & Commissioner are on the spot & situation is under control. Adequate deployment has been done to prevent any untoward incident,” it added.
Uttar Pradesh Deputy Chief Minister Dinesh Sharma on Sunday said those protesting in the guise of farmers against the Centre’s farm laws won’t be allowed to succeed.
Addressing a Kisan Panchayat at Tundla, which was organised by the Bhanu faction of the Bharatiya Kisan Union, Sharma said, “The real farmer is a citizen of the country and is ready to sacrifice his life for the country.”
“But those who are sitting in the opposition and are adamant on staging demonstrations bearing the tag of farmers will never succeed,” he said.
“Those disguising as farmers, participating in the protest over farm laws and joining hands with the opposition, will not be allowed to succeed,” he added.
Sharma also claimed that his party is working for the progress of every section of society, irrespective of caste and religion.
The 2022 UP Assembly elections will be fought on the agenda of development as the opposition does not have any issues, Sharma said.
UP’s Agriculture Minister Surya Pratap Shahi said people working for farmers are being termed as anti-farmer by the opposition while those in whose regime farmers committed suicides are proclaiming themselves to be pro-farmer.
(With PTI Inputs)
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