Punjab Congress led by Sidhu to march from Mohali to UP's Lakhimpur Kheri on October 7

Congress leader Navjot Singh Sidhu claimed that the Punjab Congress will march from Mohali in Punjab to Lakhimpur Kheri in Uttar Pradesh on Thursday, in protest against the "brutal murder" of farmers in the region. According to a press statement from Sidhu's office, he would lead the march.

Notably, Punjab Chief Minister Charanjit Singh Channi and Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel each awarded ex-gratia payouts of Rs 50 lakhs to the families of four farmers killed in the Lakhimpur incident. 

Earlier in the day, in the midst of the ongoing controversy surrounding the Lakhimpur Kheri incident, Congress politician Harish Rawat voiced his support for Navjot Singh Sidhu. Sidhu has also demanded that Union Minister Ajay Misra's son Ashish be arrested.

Extending his support, Rawat wrote on Twitter, "Navjot Ji this is a great decision. Congratulations, this is the Congress we need. I shall too join you in your mass movement to Lakhimpur Kheri and Sitapur".

Meanwhile, a five-member Congress delegation led by Rahul Gandhi departed from Lucknow airport on Wednesday to visit violence-hit Lakhimpur Kheri. Senior party leaders like Bhupesh Baghel, Charanjit Channi, KC Venugopal, and Randeep Surjewala accompanied Gandhi. Rahul Gandhi and the Congress delegation was permitted to visit Lakhimpur after landing at the Lucknow airport but squabbled over UP Police's request to travel in the state vehicles instead of his personal one in order to ensure smooth flow of traffic.

Lakhimpur Kheri incident

According to Uttar Pradesh police, at least eight persons were killed in the Lakhimpur Kheri incident on Sunday. The Samyukta Kisan Morcha, an umbrella group for numerous farmer unions, claimed that Ashish Mishra Teni, son of Union Minister of State for Home Affairs Ajay Mishra Teni, arrived with three vehicles around the time farmers were dispersing from their demonstration at the helipad and mowed down farmers, as well as attacking SKM leader Tajinder Singh Virk directly by attempting to run a vehicle over him.

However, Ashish Mishra denied SKM's charges and stated that he was not there at the scene of the incident.  MoS Teni stated that his son was not present at the scene and that some miscreants mingled with protesting farmers and threw stones at the car, resulting in the 'unfortunate incident.'

(with inputs from ANI)

Image: PTI/ ANI