The Yogi Adityanath-led Uttar Pradesh government’s decision to not allow Opposition leaders enter Lakhimpur Kheri has created an uproar.
Former Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah drew a parallel with the clampdown in Jammu and Kashmir. “Uttar Pradesh is the ‘naya J&K’ [new J&K],” he tweeted. Opposition leaders were similarly stopped from entering Jammu and Kashmir after it was stripped of Statehood, bifurcated and the Article 370 that gave it special status was removed.
Lakhimpur Kheri violence live | Akhilesh Yadav, Priyanka Gandhi detained; SKM writes to President
Congress general secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, Rajya Sabha MP Deepender Hooda were detained on Sunday night by the Uttar Pradesh police. Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel was denied permission to land at the Lucknow airport.
Akhilesh arrested
Samajwadi Party president Akhilesh Yadav too was arrested on the way to Lakhimpur Kheri. Many other Opposition leaders have been stalled similarly, including keeping them under house arrest in Lucknow, to ensure that they do not even make an attempt to enter Lakhimpur Kheri.
“The BJP and Modi government have no business to not allow political parties to reach victims of the barbarism inflicted on farmers yesterday. Strongly condemn this draconian throttling of democracy,” CPI(M) general secretary Sitaram Yechury tweeted.
