UP govt gives permission to all political parties to visit Lakhimpur Kheri

However, only five people will be allowed at a time, a top official told news agency PTI.

“Permission has been given to political parties to visit Lakhimpur. Only five people will be allowed,” Additional Chief Secretary (ACS), Home, Awanish Kumar Awasthi told the news agency in Lucknow.

Earlier in the day, the state government had denied permission to former Congress chief Rahul Gandhi for his visit to the violence-hit district.

However, later the government gave permission to Rahul and Priyanka Gandhi to visit the district. “The state government has given permission to Congress leaders Rahul Gandhi, Priyanka Gandhi and three other people to visit Lakhimpur Kheri,” informed the Home Department of the Uttar Pradesh government.

ACS, Information, Navneet Sehgal said that permission had been given to five leaders of the Congress, including Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, to visit Lakhimpur.

Congress leader Rahul Gandhi arrived at Lucknow airport. He was accompanied by party leaders Bhupesh Baghel, Charanjit Channi, KC Venugopal and Randeep Surjewala.

Priyanka Gandhi 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 in Lakhimpur Kheri when she was stopped. 

The state government on Tuesday imposed Section 144 of the Criminal Procedure Code (CrPC) in Lucknow.

The District Magistrate of Lakhimpur Kheri has also 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. 

After the violent incident at the district, political leaders made a beeline to visit the site and expressed their desire to meet the families of the victims. 

Earlier, Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel, who was scheduled to go to Lakhimpur Kheri, on Tuesday claimed that he was not being allowed to leave the Lucknow airport.

(With inputs from agencies)