New Delhi: Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Wednesday alleged that farmers are being murdered and there's "dictatorship" in India now. "Farmers are being mowed down by a jeep, they are being murdered. There used to be democracy. There is a dictatorship in India now. Since yesterday we are being told we can't go to Uttar Pradesh," he said.
"Today, with two CMs we will try to visit Lakhimpur Kheri to understand the situation there and support the farmers' families," Rahul said while addressing the media at AICC headquarters on Wednesday.
He also slammed Prime Minister Narendra Modi for not visiting Lakhimpur Kheri where eight people died in a violent incident on Sunday. "The name of a union minister and his son is coming up in this incident. But, no action is being taken. Yesterday, PM visited Lucknow but he didn't visit Lakhimpur Kheri," he said.
Also see: 'This is totally shocking': Robert Vadra alleges he was not allowed to meet Priyanka
"The postmortem of the victims were not done properly and whoever is trying to raise voice is being stopped. It's a systematic attack on farmers. It has been ongoing for some time. The government is not realising the power of the farmers," Rahul Said.
According to sources, a 3-member delegation, comprising Rahul Gandhi, Chhattisgarh CM Bhupesh Baghel and Punjab CM Charanjit Singh Channi will visit Lakhimpur Kheri to meet the families of the victims.
However, the Uttar Pradesh government has denied permission to the Congress delegation to visit Lakhimpur Kheri in the wake of Section 144 of the Criminal Procedure Code (CrPC) imposed in Lucknow.
"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 and District Magistrate of Lakhimpur and Sitapur urged us to stop him from coming in wake of local law and order situation," Lucknow Police Commissioner DK Thakur told reporters on Wednesday.
