Police on Monday detained Punjab Deputy Chief Minister Sukhjinder Singh Randhawa and other Congress MLAs Lakhimpur Kheri incident on the UP-Haryana border on Monday.
Punjab Chief Minister Charanjit Singh Channi had asked Randhawa and Punjab MLA Kuljit Singh Nagra to visit Lakhimpur Kheri to ascertain the situation and meet the bereaved families. He also planned to visit the area himself.
However, the Uttar Pradesh government on Sunday denied permission to Channi and Randhawa to visit Lakhimpur Kheri in view of the imposition of Section 144 due to incidents of violence.
Eight people died in violence during farmers’ protest in Lakhimpur Kheri on Sunday ahead of UP Deputy CM Keshav Prasad Maurya’s visit.
According to Channi’s spokesperson, in response to a letter from the Chief Minister seeking permission to take off and land the chopper, the Secretary Home, Government of UP had informed the Director Civil Aviation, Punjab that it was not possible to grant permission to the CM and Deputy CM. In view of the law and order situation in Lakhimpur Kheri.
Earlier, Congress General Secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra had started a hunger strike after she was detained on her way to Lakhimpur Kheri in Sitapur district of UP. Congress leaders also protested outside his guest house and raised slogans against the BJP-led state government over his “arrest”.
Meanwhile, Punjab Congress President Navjot Singh Sidhu along with several party MLAs staged a sit-in outside the Raj Bhavan in Chandigarh on Monday. Sidhu, Madan Lal Jalalpur, Gurpreet Singh along with other Congress MLAs and several members of Punjab Youth Congress sat outside Governor Banwarilal Purohit’s residence and raised slogans against the BJP.
The Chandigarh Police detained Sidhu and other protesters and made them board a bus from outside the Raj Bhavan.
The protesters were demanding the arrest of Union Minister of State for Home Ajay Mishra’s son for his alleged involvement in the Lakhimpur Kheri incident.
Of the eight killed in the Lakhimpur violence, four were traveling in cars, apparently part of a convoy of BJP workers who came to welcome the minister. He was allegedly beaten to death. Officials said four others were farmers. An FIR has been registered against Mishra’s son and several others.
(with PTI inputs)
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