New Delhi, Oct 4 (FN Agency) Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel, who could not visit Lakhimpur Kheri after an order was issued barring him from entering Uttar Pradesh, on Monday slammed the state government and questioned if one needed a visa to visit the state. Baghel also said he would again attempt to visit Uttar Pradesh, where party leader Priyanka Gandhi had been arrested by the Police in Sitapur. This came as several Congress leaders and other Opposition leaders extended support to Priyanka, who was arrested on Monday morning in Sitapur on the way to Lakhimpur. Congress leaders condemned the arrest. Baghel, who could not go to UP, reached the national capital, and held a press conference at the Congress headquarter demanding Rs. 1 crore as compensation for the family of the deceased farmers. “Lakhimpur incident proves BJP hates the farmers. Priyanka Gandhi was stopped and detained.
They misbehaved with her,” Baghel said. “I was not allowed to go to Uttar Pradesh… All Opposition leaders are being stopped. Do we need a visa to go to Uttar Pradesh? Have the rights of common citizens been taken away?” he said. He demanded sacking of Minister of State for Home Ajay Mishra, whose son Ashish Mishra was allegedly involved in the incident where four farmers were killed. “This is not an ordinary incident, it’s a murder. The Minister said his son was not there, he should be sacked, he is trying to save his son by lying,” Baghel said. “I will go to Uttar Pradesh again, they cannot stop us,” he added. He also questioned the silence of Prime Minister Narendra Modi over the incident, and demanded Rs. 1 crore compensation for the family. Congress leader Rajiv Shukla, who also held a press conference over the issue, slammed the state government and police for misbehaving with Priyanka Gandhi and party MP Deepender Hooda who were arrested early on Monday morning. “They have been illegally detained, the police had no arrest warrant,” Shukla said.
“Two chief ministers – Bhupesh Baghel and Charanjit Singh Channi were stopped from going to Uttar Pradesh, this is murder of democracy,” he said. The Congress demanded that Priyanka Gandhi should be released and allowed to go to Lakhimpur Kheri. On Sunday, farmers had gathered to protest against the visit of Minister of State for Home Ajay Mishra, and Uttar Pradesh Deputy Chief Minister Keshav Prasad Maurya. Eyewitnesses have alleged that Ashish Mishra, son of the MoS, and other supporters crushed farmers under their vehicles without any provocation as they were leaving from the protest site. The Minister has meanwhile said that stones were pelted at the convoy, and has also said that his son was not present at the spot. While four farmers died, four people who were in the SUVs that allegedly crushed farmers also died. Angry farmers also set two vehicles to fire. Police said an FIR has been registered against 14 people, including Ashish Mishra, in connection with the death of farmers. Case has been registered under 302, 120B, and 147 of the IPC on the complaint of the farmers. A counter FIR has also been lodged against the farmers by the BJP leaders.