Sitaram Yechury claims 'atrocities seen during British rule occurring under PM Modi'

Communist Party of India (CPI-M) leader Sitaram Yechury claimed on Wednesday that the kind of atrocities seen under the British rule are taking place in PM Modi and Yogi Adityanath's Governments Hitting out at the Centre and the UP government over the Lakhimpur-Kheri violence, the CPI(M) leader stated that the state's 'brutalities' had reminded him of the Champaran Satyagraha- the infamous farmer's uprising in colonial India which turned out to be instrumental in the nation's freedom struggle. 

"This sort of atrocities and brutalities were seen during the British rule and that is what Modi government and UP government is doing. This incident also reminds us of atrocities committed by Britishers in Champaran... This government has a habit of torturing and this habit is increasing every day," Yechury said.

Sitaram Yechury also condemned the UP Government's attempt to bar political leaders from visiting the violence-hit region calling it a violation of India's Constitution. "In India, any citizen can travel in any part of the country. Now, how a state government can say that you cannot enter my state? This is an outright violation of our constitution."

He urged the UP Government to investigate the matter promptly saying, "Registration of FIR does not mean that the investigation is started. Start the investigation and arrest whoever is responsible." 

Congress leaders allowed to visit 

After a long standoff with the Uttar Pradesh government, Congress leaders including Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi Vadra have been allowed to visit Lakhimpur. This comes after the state government detained Priyanka Gandhi Vadra on Monday and then denied permission to a 5-member delegation led by Rahul Gandhi to meet the kin of the farmers killed in the Lakhimpur Kheri violence. On Wednesday morning, Rahul departed for Lucknow along with Punjab CM Charanjit Singh Channi and Chhattisgarh CM Bhupesh Baghel amid the standoff. Permission for the visit was granted shortly after. The three will be accompanied by Priyanka Vadra and KC Venugopal.

Violence in Lakhimpur Kheri ensued when farmers began protesting against the Farm Laws outside an event venue where Deputy CM Keshav Prasad Maurya was scheduled to attend on Sunday. Sanyukta Kisan Morcha (SKM) claimed that one of the farmers was shot dead by Ashish Mishra - son of Union MoS Ajay Mishra and two farmers were killed after his car ran over them and turned turtle. In turn, farmers resorted to stone-pelting and killed 4 BJP workers with lathis and swords.

(With Agency Inputs)