Congress is seen as opposition in Uttar Pradesh: Salman Khurshid

Congress leader Salman Khurshid on Tuesday said that the Congress party is being seen as opposition in Uttar Pradesh and Priyanka Gandhi Vadra had turned the Lakhimpur Kheri incident into a national issue.

"In Uttar Pradesh, Congress is being seen as the opposition. Priyanka Gandhi Vadra has turned the Lakhimpur Kheri incident into a national issue, which is not only limited to the farmers only, but also to the insensitivity of the government and conduct, investigation of the state police," Khurshid told ANI.

Khurshid said that the Uttar Pradesh Congress unit and the Congress party as a whole stands in solidarity with Priyanka Gandhi.

"Further work will be carried out as per her wishes and instructions," he added.

Uttar Pradesh Police on Tuesday registered an FIR against Congress general secretary Priyanka Gandhi Varda and 11 others for "disturbing peace" in the state. The state government on Wednesday gave permission to Congress leaders Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi to visit Lakhimpur Kheri.

On Priyanka Gandhi's detention, Khurshid said, "The detention was ridiculous and sad. It was a gross violation of rule of law. She was detained under Section 144 even if there were two people. It must be told in writing as to why is one arrested but she was not told. Till yet I cannot understand the intentions of the police. Charges filed against her are bailable and she can not be detained like that."

Congress delegation including Rahul Gandhi and party General Secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra met the kin of deceased farmer Lovpreet Singh in Lakhimpur Kheri district in Uttar Pradesh on Wednesday. The delegation also included Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel, Punjab Chief Minister Charanjit Singh Channi and party general secretary KC Venugopal.

Khurshid also remarked that the Samajwadi Party (SP) Chief Akhilesh Yadav and Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) Chief Mayawati should have had joined forces with Priyanka Gandhi on the Lakhimpuri incident since their views on the events are also similar to that of Priyanka Gandhi.

Drawing comparisons between the Lakhimpuri incident and Jallianwala Bagh Massacre, he said, "Though such historical events must be kept aside, the brutality witnessed during the Lakhimpuri incident is similar to the Jallianwala Bagh massacre."

Khurshid said that Union Minister Ajay Mishra Teni should resign and his son should also get arrested.

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.

MoS Teni also said that his son was not present at the spot, adding that some miscreants mingled with protesting farmers and pelted the stones at the car which lead to the 'unfortunate incident'.

(ANI)

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