Host of opposition leaders to head to violence-hit Lakhimpur Kheri in UP

New Delhi, Oct 3 (PTI) Several opposition leaders, including those from the Congress and Trinamool Congress, are headed to Lakimpuri Kheri where eight people were killed in the violence that erupted after a BJP supporter’s SUV turned turtle near a farmers’ protest site, trampling two protesters to death.

The eight who were killed in the violence that erupted at the protest site ahead of Uttar Pradesh Deputy Chief Minister Keshav Prasad Maurya’s visit to a village in Lakhimpur Kheri included four farmers and four BJP workers.

While Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi is expected to reach Lakimpuri Kheri is expected to reach Lakhimpur Kehri from Lucknow, others like Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav and Rashtriya Lok Dal's Jayant Chaudhary are scheduled to reach there on Monday.

Leaders of some farmers unions, including Bharatiya Kisan Union's Rakesh Tikait, is also headed to Lakhimpur Kheri by Sunday night.

“Departing for Lakhimpur… The martyrdom of farmers cannot be allowed to go in vain. This country also belongs to the farmers,” Congress MP Deepender Singh Hooda, who is accompanying Priyanka Gandhi, tweeted around 10 pm.

The Samajwadi Party also took to social media to announce that a party delegation would visit Lakhimpur and meet the families of the victims of the violence.

SP chief and former UP Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav demanded the resignation of Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath over the incident.

Bahujan Samaj Party supremo and former CM Mayawati too demanded that the Supreme Court should take note of the incident and said she has directed that a delegation of her party visit the conflict site.

The Trinamool Congress, which is in power in West Bengal, hit out at Prime Minister Narendra Modi over the incident in BJP-governed UP.

“It's a matter of national shame that under Mr Narendra Modi's watch, our farmers have had to see such a day! The Trinamool Congress family vows to stand beside our farmer brethren and we will fight till the last drop of our blood to stand up for their rights,” the Mamata Banerjee-led party tweeted.

“Our honourable MPs Dr Kakoli Ghosh Dastidar, Dola Sen, Pratima Mondal, Abir Ranjan Biswas and Sushmita Dev will be visiting Lakhimpur Kheri to meet with the families and stand beside them amid such difficult times,” it added.

Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel said, “The brutal treatment meted out to farmers in Uttar Pradesh is unforgivable. I am a farmer and I understand their pain. I will go to Lakhimpur tomorrow morning to stand by them in these difficult circumstances.” Punjab Chief Minister Charanjit Singh Channi too condemned the incident and extended condolences to the families of the bereaved.

He added that he has asked his Deputy CM Sukhjinder Singh Randhawa and Working President Punjab Pradesh Congress Committee Kuljit Nagra to ascertain the situation and extend relief to aggrieved families.

BKU's national spokesperson Rakesh Tikait said he would reach Lakhimpur around midnight.

Eight people were killed on Sunday as violence erupted during a farmers' protest, claiming the lives of both farmers and BJP workers ahead of a visit to Lakhimpur by Uttar Pradesh Deputy Chief Minister Keshav Prasad Maurya, officials said.

Two SUVs were set on fire by angry farmers in the clash near Banbirpur in Lakhimpur Kheri. PTI KIS RAX RAX