NEW DELHI: Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Wednesday alleged that farmers are being “systematically attacked” and there is “dictatorship” in India now with politicians not being allowed to visit Uttar Pradesh to meet the families of the victims of the Lakhimpur Kheri incident.
Here are the key developments:
Rahul Gandhi boards flight for Lucknow ahead of his Lakhimpur Kheri visit
Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Wednesday boarded a flight for Lucknow ahead of his visit to Uttar Pradesh’s Lakhimpur Kheri district. Several Congress leaders along with Chhattisgarh chief minister Bhupesh Baghel, Punjab chief minister Charanjit Singh Channi also boarded the flight.
Rahul slams PM Modi for not visiting Lakhimpur Kheri
Slamming PM Narendra Modi for not visiting the site of violence in Lakhimpur Kheri where 8 people – including 4 farmers – died on Sunday, Rahul said, “Yesterday PM Modi visited Lucknow but he didn’t visit Lakhimpur Kheri. It’s a systematic attack on farmers“.
UP govt denies permission to Rahul Gandhi for Lakhimpur Kheri visit
Uttar Pradesh government has denied permission to Congress leader Rahul Gandhi to visit Lakhimpur Kheri district in wake of law and order situation, said DK Thakur, Lucknow police commissioner, on Wednesday.
“The government has denied permission to Rahul Gandhi. If he arrives in Lucknow, we will request him at the airport not to visit Lakhimpur Kheri and Sitapur. Superintendent of Police (SP) and District Magistrate (DM) of Lakhimpur and Sitapur urged us to stop him from coming in wake of local law and order situation,” said the Lucknow police commissioner.
Congress leader Sachin Pilot en route to Sitapur by road from Delhi
Senior Congress leader Sachin Pilot landed in Delhi on Wednesday morning and set out for Sitapur in Uttar Pradesh by road straight from the airport, sources close to him said.
Pilot, who arrived here on a flight from Jaipur, will also try to visit Lakhimpur to meet the grieving families, the sources said. The Ghaziabad Police, meanwhile, launched a special checking drive upon getting information about Pilot’s intended visit to Lakhimpur Kheri.
Congress general secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra is in detention at the PAC compound in Sitapur since Monday morning. She was on her way to meet the families of farmers killed in Sunday’s violence when she was stopped.
Delhi CM questions why political leaders stopped from going to Lakhimpur Kheri
Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal on Wednesday said that on one side the government is celebrating 75 years of Independence while on the other, political leaders are being stopped from visiting Lakhimpur Kheri.
“On one side, the government is celebrating 75 years of Independence, on the other side, political leaders are being stopped from visiting Lakhimpur Kheri. What’s the reason behind it? PM ji, the country wants the accused to be arrested & the Union minister be removed from the post,” he said in a tweet.
Internet services shut in Lakhimpur Kheri, Sitapur
Internet services were shut down in Lakhimpur Kheri and Sitapur on Wednesday, following reports that some Congress leaders were on their way to meet party general secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra and also the families of the victims. Though there was no official communication of the shutdown of services, a senior official said that this had been done as a precautionary measure. “We will thwart all attempts to create tension in the area. The shutdown may be lifted by evening if no untoward incident takes place,” he said.
Free Priyanka Gandhi Vadra or I’ll reach UP, says Navjot Singh Sidhu
Punjab Congress chief Navjot Singh Sidhu said on Tuesday that the Uttar Pradesh police should arrest Union minister of state Ajay Mishra’s son, Ashish, and release Priyanka Gandhi Vadra by Wednesday, or he will lead a protest march to Lakhimpur Kheri. In a tweet, Sidhu said: “When in doubt, walk the path of truth, and never compromise on moral values!! ‘Moral Authority’ thy name is @Priyanka-Gandhi.”

Section 144 imposed in Lakhimpur
The district magistrate of Lakhimpur Kheri has imposed section 144 of the Code of Criminal Procedure (CrPC), which prohibits assembly of five or more people at a time, following the Sunday incident.
Uttar Pradesh Police on Tuesday registered an FIR against Congress general secretary Priyanka Gandhi Varda and 11 others for “disturbing the peace” in the state.
Priyanka Gandhi Vadra had claimed that she has been detained for the last 40 hours without any order or FIR.
Samyukta Kisan Morcha, an umbrella body of several farmer unions, alleged that Ashish Mishra Teni, son of Union minister of state for home affairs Ajay Mishra Teni arrived with three vehicles around the time that farmers were dispersing from their protest at the helipad and mowed down farmers and towards the end also attacked SKM leader Tajinder Singh Virk directly, by trying to run a vehicle over him.
However, Ashish Mishra refuted SKM’s allegations and said he was not present at the spot where the incident took place.As many as eight people died in the Lakhimpur Kheri incident on Sunday, said Uttar Pradesh police.