Lakhimpur Kheri violence: Congress leader Rahul Gandhi leaves for the area after cop interference in Lucknow airport

News Desk: The Rahul Gandhi-led Congress delegation of five members has left for Lakhimpur Kheri after being briefly held up at the Lucknow airport.

He said “What kind of a permission have I been granted by the UP government? These people are not letting me go out of the airport”

“We want to go in our car but the police want to take us there in their vehicle. I have asked them to let me go in my personal vehicle. They’re planning something. I’m sitting here” he added.

In a scathing attack on Congress leader Rahul Gandhi for his remarks over the Lakhimpur Kheri deaths, BJP Wednesday accused the Gandhi family of trying to gain “political mileage” out of a “tragic” incident.

Addressing a press conference, BJP national spokesperson Sambit Patra said, “The Gandhi family and Rahul Gandhi saw this as an opportunity. Seeing what happened at Lakhimpur Kheri as an opportunity, they thought through this they could save the reputation of their family. Driving political mileage out of a tragic incident is what the Gandhi family is trying to do”

Criticising Rahul for his “systematic attack on the farmers” remarks before leaving for Uttar Pradesh to meet the families of the deceased, Patra said, “The UPA government sat over the Swaminathan Commission recommendations for eight years and did not implement it and you talk of systemic attack on farmers?”

“There has been a systemic upliftment of farmers. The government has worked for systemic upliftment of farmers” Patra said, listing the various initiatives taken by the Modi government in the last seven years.

Rebutting Rahul’s claims, Patra said, “Irresponsibility has become the second name of Mr Rahul Gandhi”

“Rahul Gandhi should stop making attempts to cultivate. The most important issue in the country is maintaining peace. This is the duty of every party. It is not proper to incite people towards violence by spreading misperception. You should not do this” Patra said.