Rahul Gandhi led Cong delegation reaches Sitapur to join Priyanka Gandhi Vadra on way to Lakhimpur Kheri

New Delhi: The five-member Congress delegation led by Rahul Gandhi who are on their way to Lakhimpur Kheri district in Uttar Pradesh, arrived in Sitapur on Wednesday to join party General Secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, who was put under detention in a guest house here.

The Uttar Pradesh government on Wednesday approved the visit of the Congress delegation led by Rahul Gandhi.

“We have received approval from the government for the visit of Rahul Gandhi-led delegation,” Lakhimpur Kheri District Magistrate (DM) Dr. Arvind Kumar Chaurasiya told ANI.

Rahul Gandhi left for violence-hit Lakhimpur Kheri from Lucknow airport along with four other Congress leaders – Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel, Punjab Chief Minister Charanjit Singh Channi and party general secretaries KC Venugopal and Randeep Surjewala.

A 5-member Congress delegation led by Rahul Gandhi leaves for violence-hit Lakhimpur Kheri from Lucknow airport pic.twitter.com/8JKDieNVy9

— ANI (@ANI) October 6, 2021

The District Magistrate further informed that a cheque of Rs 45 lakh has been handed over to two families of the deceased farmers in the Lakhimpur Kheri violence that took place on October 3 and others will be given cheque today.

“We handed over cheques of Rs 45 lakh each to families of two deceased farmers yesterday. Families of four others will receive cheques today. Two deceased were from Bahraich and that is being looked into by Bahraich district administration,” said Dr Chaurasiya.

The Uttar Pradesh government on Monday announced that they will give Rs 45 lakh and a government job to the families of every person who died in Lakhimpur Kheri violence. The government also assured that the injured persons would be given Rs 10 lakhs.

#WATCH | Congress leader Rahul Gandhi asks police officials at Lucknow airport "under which rule are you deciding how I'll go? Just tell me the rule."

Gandhi is leading a Congress delegation to violence-hit Lakhimpur Kheri pic.twitter.com/X0HeOzQB5e

— ANI (@ANI) October 6, 2021

On the visit of political leaders to Lakhimpur Kheri to meet the families of those who died in the district, the District Magistrate asserted that permission must be sought from the families if they want to meet. “Today, a family released a video and they have said that their house should not be turned into a political mess,” he said.

“We are giving permission to those who are seeking but it is not possible to give everybody the permission at the same time in order to maintain law and order,” the DM noted.

A total of eight people including four farmers died in the violence that took place in Lakhimpur Kheri on October 3.