Former Congress president Rahul Gandhi, AICC general secretary KC Venugopal, Chief Ministers of Punjab and Chhattisgarh Charanjit Singh Channi and Bhupesh Baghel were disallowed by the State Government from visiting the families of the farmers who died in Lakhimpur Kheri. The leaders, who were detained in Lucknow airport, started a protest sit-in there.

Talking to reporters, Gandhi said they have been asked not to get out of the airport. He said the BJP government is scared of Opposition parties and that is the reason why they were not allowed to meet the family members of the victims of Lakhimpur Kheri violence.

Earlier, talking to reporters, Gandhi said just three people will be there in his delegation so that they will not breach section 144 imposed in the area. “Section 144 blocks the gathering of five or more people. We have informed them (the administration) that we are a group of three people,” he said.

Gandhi said the State Government has allowed members of Trinamool Congress and Bhim Army to visit the site. He said members of the Congress party also have a right to console the family members of the victims.

He said the Centre is attacking the farmers and now they are even getting murdered. “It's a systematic attack against the farmers," he said. “Murderers and rapists are roaming free and those who voice against such atrocities are put behind the bars,” Gandhi added.

He said it is the duty of the Opposition to put pressure on the Government so that they take action against atrocities on farmers and poor people. “If we don't do our duty, the government will protect the culprits,” he said.

“It is a systematic attack on the farmers of this country and it is arrogance, because the government does not realise or understand the power of the farmers and they are provoking them ,insulting them, and they are killing the farmers. This is a very dangerous and bad idea,” he added.

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