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A Rahul Gandhi-led five-member Congress party delegation on Wednesday, 6 October, met the family of deceased farmer Lovepreet Singh in Lakhimpur. Gandhi's sister and party leader Priyanka Gandhi, who had been detained in Sitapur since Monday, had joined the delegation on Wednesday evening.
Later, the Congress leaders also met the family of slain journalist Raman Kashyap.
Meanwhile, Congress leader Sachin Pilot was reportedly detained in Moradabad while on his way to Lakhimpur.
As many as eight persons, including four farmers, had died in Lakhimpur on Sunday. An FIR under the charges of murder and rioting has been filed against the son of Union Minister Ajay Teni Misra, who was allegedly driving the car that had run over three farmers in Lakhimpur.
Earlier in the day, MoS Ajay Misra – whose son Ashish Misra has been accused of mowing down farmers at Lakhimpur Kheri – met Home Minister Amit Shah in Delhi.
Rahul Gandhi led a delegation comprising of Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel, Punjab CM Charanjit Channi, KC Venugopal and Randeep Surjewala to Lakhimpur
The Maharashtra government has called for a statewide bandh on 11 October, to protest the violence that ensued in Lakhimpur Kheri
The Samyukt Kisan Morcha on Wednesday reiterated its demand for the arrest of Ashish Misra, and the sacking of Union Minister Ajay Misra and Haryana CM Manohar Lal Khattar
Rahul Gandhi's delegation was temporarily halted at the Lucknow airport on their way to Lakhimpur, the leader alleged
Internet services have been suspended in Sitapur for twelve hours on Wednesday
Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi visited the family of journalist Raman Kashyap who had died in the Lakhimpur unrest after allegedly being run over by a speeding SUV car.
"Attack on journalists is an attack on the Constitution and killing of journalists is murder of the Constitution," said the Congress party on Twitter, sharing pictures of the visit.
"Shared the grief of the family of martyr Lovepreet, but till justice is not done, this satyagraha will continue. Won't forget your sacrifice, Lovepreet," Rahul Gandhi said in a tweet.
"Today in Lakhimpur Kheri, Mr. Rahul Gandhi and Mrs. Priyanka Gandhi met Late Lovepreet's mother, father and both sisters and expressed their condolences," tweeted Congress leader Randeep Singh Surjewala, who is part of the delegation that visited Lakhimpur.
"The family also narrated all the agony and also showed the wounds inflicted by the oppressive government," he said.
The Uttarakhand Congress will travel to Lakhimpur Kheri from Ramnagar on Thursday, party leader Harish Rawat indicated, ANI reported.
A Rahul Gandhi-led five-member Congress delegation met the families of the farmers who lost their lives in the unrest in Lakhimpur on Sunday.
West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, lauding a delegation of TMC leaders who had met with the kin of deceased farmers in Lakhimpur on Tuesday, said:
"We condemn the killing of farmers in Uttar Pradesh. The farmers were brutally murdered. Only a TMC delegation was able to reach the village and meet the family members. It took them 12 hours to reach the village. No other political party could reach them."
"Our party MP Dola Sen disguised herself as a Punjabi to reach the area. They did a good job," Banerjee was quoted as saying by PTI.
Five TMC MPs, including Kakoli Ghosh Dastidar, Sushmita Dev, Abir Ranjan Biswas, Pratima Mondal and Dola Sen, had visited Lakhimpur on Tuesday, as per PTI.
The Supreme Court has takes suo motu cognisance of the unrest that had ensued in Lakhimpur Kheri on Sunday.
The matter has been listed as 'violence in Lakhimpur Kheri (UP) leading to loss of life,' and will be heard on Thursday morning by a bench led by Chief Justice of India NV Ramana.
Congress leader Sachin Pilot, who had been travelling to Lakhimpur with party leader Acharya Pramod, said that he had been detained.
"This evening, Acharya Pramod ji and I were detained in Moradabad while on route to Lakhimpur Kheri. We didn’t break any provisions of the law. These undemocratic steps of UP Govt will not deter us. We’ll raise our voice for justice for the deceased farmers & their families," Pilot said in a tweet.
The Rajasthan Congress will conduct a protest march to Lakhimpur Kheri on Thursday, the party's state unit indicated.
"To express condolences to the families of the victims of the farmer massacre and demand strict punishment for the killers, tomorrow at 11 am, thousands of Congress workers under the leadership of Rajasthan Congress State President Govind Dostara, will march on foot from the elevated Nagla border of Bharatpur to Lakhimpur Kheri," the Rajasthan Pradesh Congress Committee said in a tweet.
Congress leader Sachin Pilot, who had been on his way to Lakhimpur, was halted by the Uttar Pradesh police in Moradabad's Niyamatpur.
"We're taking them to a guest house for a conversation and will decide what to do next," DM Shailendra Kumar Singh was quoted as saying by ANI.
Rahul Gandhi-led five-member Congress delegation, along with party general secretary Priyanka Gandhi, reach Lakhimpur.
Rahul and Priyanka Gandhi, who are on their way to Lakhimpur, may first visit Nighashan, the native place of journalist Raman Kashyap who lost his life in the unrest on Sunday, PTI reported, citing sources.
"The fight for truth will continue. Dictator, you won't be spared. Mrs Priyanka Gandhi had to be released from illegal custody. Will not let the torch of justice be extinguished now," the Congress party tweets after Priyanka Gandhi's release.
Samajwadi Party president Akhilesh Yadav had said that he will visit Lakhimpur Kheri on Thursday, The Indian Express reported.
A five-member Congress delegation led by Rahul Gandhi leaves Sitapur along with party leader Priyanka Gandhi, who had been detained at a guesthouse in the district since Monday.
The Congress leaders are expected to meet the kin of the farmers who lost their lives in Lakhimpur on Sunday.
BKU leader Rakesh Tikait on Wednesday demanded the arrest of those accused in the Lakhimpur unrest, including the son of Union Minister Ajay Misra.
He also demanded a resignation of the Union minister, adding that if the demands of the farmers are not met within a week, a nationwide protest would be launched, PTI reported.
"Our protest has not ended. We will wait till eight days since the agreement and if the demands are not fulfilled a nationwide agitation would be launched," Tikait was quoted as saying.
The Punjab Congress, led by Navjot Singh Sidhu, will march from Mohali to Lakhimpur on Thursday.
The Haryana Congress has also announced that it will march to Uttar Pradesh on Thursday to protest the violence that took place in Lakhimpur Kheri.
"Democracy is repeatedly being STRANGULATED and BRUTALLY ATTACKED in every single @BJP4India ruled state! The people of this country deserve better. The #KillingRaj of BJP must be stopped," tweeted the Trinamool Congress party.
"For the last two days, I have been saying that politicians should be allowed to come here. If they come, they would give some financial assistance to the victims," Bharatiya Kisan Union leader Rakesh Tikait, who is in Lakhimpur Kheri, was quoted as saying by ANI.
Veteran Congress leader Kapil Sibal, in a letter addressed to Uttar Pradesh CM Yogi Adityanath and PM Narendra Modi, questioned why the UP government is "turning a blind eye to the alleged perpetrators of the crime named in an FIR, which includes the son of a sitting Minister of Home (MoS)."
Asserting that Priyanka Gandhi's detention is "illegal," Sibal asks:
"In these circumstances how can the Home Minister (MoS), Government of India continue to hold office? Why has the Prime Minister not asked him to resign forthwith?"
Samyukta Kisan Morcha, the umbrella body of farmers spearheading the protests against the three contentious agricultural laws introduced by the Centre in 2019, said in a statement on Wednesday:
"It is shameful that a Minister, that too for Home Affairs, has such criminal and murderous character and history, and that the Modi government was sheltering him even though SKM had raised red flags about his open threat to farmers in a public meeting a couple of weeks ago on September 25th."
"Samyukt Kisan Morcha reiterates that it will not step back from its struggle for justice in Lakhimpur Kheri Farmers Massacre case, as well as against Haryana Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar who was the one clearly lending impunity to the police of the state," the statement added.
The SKM also demanded a thorough investigation into a complaint that has alleged that UP police officials had neglected saving Raman Kashyap, a journalist who was also mowed down by Ashish Misra's convoy, and had reportedly been taken straight to the mortuary.
Maharashtra's Maha Vikas Aghadi government has called for a statewide bandh on 11 October, in protest against the Lakhimpur Kheri violence, news agency ANI reported, citing NCP leader and state minister Jayant Patil.
The MVA is a coalition between the NCP, the Congress, and the Shiv Sena.
"The state cabinet today decided to express its condolences over the unfortunate death of farmers in the incident at Lakhimpur Kheri in Uttar Pradesh. The Cabinet stood for two minutes and paid tributes to the deceased farmers," the chief minister's office tweeted.
In a statement shared earlier on Wednesday, businessman Robert Vadra said, "I have been stopped to get to Lucknow, UP. to check on my wife and make sure she is fine and well."
Priyanka Gandhi Vadra had been detained in a guesthouse in Sitapur since Monday, when she was stopped from visiting Lakhimpur.
"I spoke with her yesterday & she informed me, that she has not been served with any order or notice. She has not been produced before a judicial officer & has not been allowed to meet her legal counsel," Vadra noted.
"I am really worried for her & I had packed my bag to go to Lucknow now, when I was informed that I won't be allowed to step out of the airport. This is totally shocking that as a husband I can't even go & support my wife. Thankfully, she has a huge support of the masses," he further said.
An Aam Aadmi Party delegation, including party leaders Sanjay Singh, Harpal Cheema, and Raghav Chadha, reached Lakhimpur on Wednesday.
The AAP delegation expressed their respects to the the family of deceased farmer Nachhatar Singh. AAP president Arvind Kejriwal spoke to the family over the phone, the party indicated on Twitter.
The Rahul Gandhi-led Congress delegation, which is expected to visit Lakhimpur on Wednesday, has reached Uttar Pradesh's Sitapur, where Gandhi's sister and party leader Priyanka Gandhi Vadra has been detained since Monday.
Gandhi Vadra had been detained in a PAC guesthouse in Sitapur on Monday, after she was stopped from travelling to Lakhimpur.
She was subsequently put under arrest on Tuesday, and an FIR was lodged against her for 'disturbing peace.'
A delegation of the Aam Aadmi Party's Punjab unit has left for Lakhimpur Kheri, and is expected to meet the kin of the farmers who lost their lives on Sunday.
AAP MP Sanjay Singh is part of the delegation that is travelling to Lakhimpur. Singh had been detained in Sitapur for over 43 hours by the UP police, before he was released on Wednesday, the party has indicated.
"We've received approval from the government for the visit of Rahul Gandhi-led delegation," Lakhimpur Kheri DM Dr Arvind Kumar Chaurasiya was quoted as saying by ANI.
"We handed over cheques of Rs 45 lakh each to families of 2 deceased farmers yesterday. Families of 4 others will receive cheques today. Two deceased were from Bahraich and that is being looked into by Bahraich district administration," Chaurasiya further indicated.
A 5-member Congress delegation has left the Lucknow airport for Lakhimpur.
The delegation, led by Rahul Gandhi, is expected to meet the families of the farmers who lost their lives in the unrest that ensued in Lakhimpur on Sunday.
The Congress leaders have left the airport in their own vehicle, UP Congress spokesperson Ashok Singh indicated to PTI.
Punjab Chief Minister Charanjit S Channi and Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel have separately announced a compensation of Rs 50 lakh each for the kin of the farmers and the journalist who lost their lives in the Lakhimpur unrest.
The ex gratia compensation will be paid by the Punjab and Chhattisgarh state governments.
The chief ministers made the announcement from Lucknow airport, where they have reached along with Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, ahead of their scheduled visit to Lakhimpur.
Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, who has reached the Lucknow airport, says, "What kind of permission I have been granted by UP Govt? These people are not letting me go out of the airport."
"We want to go in our car (to Lakhimpur Kheri) but they (police) want to take us in their vehicle. I asked them to let me go in my personal vehicle. They're planning something. I'm sitting here," Gandhi was quoted as saying.
Gandhi further asked police officials present at the airport, "under which rule are you deciding how I'll go? Just tell me the rule."
Rahul Gandhi is leading a delegation of the Congress party to meet the kin of the farmers who died in the Lakhimpur Kheri unrest on Sunday.
ADG, Law and Order, Prashant Kumar has according to ANI said:
Further, Kumar said that the police will conduct a detailed investigation in the case, and no accused will be spared.
Congress leader Rahul Gandhi arrives at Lucknow airport, accompanied by party leaders Bhupesh Baghel, Charanjit Channi, KC Venugopal and Randeep Surjewala.
Aam Aadmi Party workers, on Wednesday, protested outside Raj Bhawan in Chandigarh over Lakhimpur Kheri violence. The police is reported to be using water cannons to disperse them.
Meanwhile, the the party's Punjab affairs incharge Jarnail Singh and Sunam MLA Aman Arora, along with some AAP protesters, were detained near the Chandigarh guest house, PTI reported.
MoS Ajay Teni Misra – whose son Ashish Misra has been accused of mowing down farmers at Lakhimpur Kheri – was spotted visiting the ministry of Home Affairs.
Misra also met with Home Minister Amit Shah, and spoke to him about the Lakhimpur incident, news agency PTI reported.
The Uttar Pradesh government has given permission to Congress leaders Rahul Gandhi, Priyanka Gandhi, and three others to visit Lakhimpur Kheri, news agency ANI reports.
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