Rahul Gandhi-led Congress delegation to visit Lakhimpur Kheri today, UP govt denies permission

Lucknow: A 5-member delegation of the Congress party led by Rahul Gandhi will visit the violence-hit Lakhimpur Kheri on Wednesday, however, the Uttar Pradesh government has denied permission for the same.

The state government has denied permission to the Congress delegation to visit the Lakhimpur Kheri district in the wake of Section 144 of the Criminal Procedure Code (CrPC) that has been imposed in Lucknow.

As per the official note, "Section 144 of CrPC implemented in the state capital Lucknow with immediate effect. Section 144 will remain in force in the capital till November 8 to maintain law and order and ensure adherence to COVID-19 rules in view of upcoming festivals, various entrance exams and farmers` protests."

Lucknow Police imposes restrictions under Section 144 of CrPC till November 8 to maintain law & order and ensure adherence to COVID rules in view of upcoming festivals, various entrance exams and farmers' protests pic.twitter.com/fBd1jImHhE

— ANI UP (@ANINewsUP) October 5, 2021

Earlier Congress General Secretary KC Venugopal had sought permission for Rahul Gandhi-led delegation to visit the area as the leaders from Trinamool Congress (TMC) and Rashtriya Lok Dal (RLD) was allowed to visit the district on Tuesday.

Congress leader Sachin Pilot returned to New Delhi on Tuesday to accompany Rahul Gandhi to Uttar Pradesh's Lakhimpur Kheri. Pilot, Rajasthan's former deputy chief minister, was on a two-day visit to his assembly constituency of Tonk when he decided to cut short his trip and return to the national capital.

Speaking to reporters in Tonk, Pilot demanded a judicial probe by a sitting Supreme Court judge into the Lakhimpur Kheri violence. Soon after the violent incident at Lakhimpur Kheri, political leaders made a beeline to visit the site and expressed their desire to meet the families of the victims.

Opposition leaders like Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, Deepender Hooda (Congress), Sanjay Singh (AAP) and Chandrashekhar Azad (Bhim Army) have been detained enroute to Lakhimpur, while SP chief Akhilesh Yadav has been placed under house arrest in Lucknow where clashes resulted in eight deaths on Sunday.

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. 

Earlier in the day, Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi Vadra had claimed that she has been detained for the last 40 hours without any order or FIR. Eight people including four farmers had died in the violence in the Lakhimpur Kheri district in Uttar Pradesh on Sunday.