Plans afoot for joint opposition action on Lakhimpur, Sanjay Raut to meet Rahul Gandhi later today

Aditi Tandon

Tribune News Service

New Delhi, October 5

Plans are afoot for a joint opposition action on the Lakhimpur Kheri violence with the Shiv Sena taking the lead to forge a collective front to mount an offensive against the government.

Shiv Sena MP Sanjay Raut will meet Congress leader Rahul Gandhi in this connection later in the day.

In a tweet, Raut said, “#LakhimpurKheriViolence has shaken the nation, @priyankagandhi has been arrested by UP govt, opposition leaders are being restricted from meeting farmers. There is need for joint opposition action against oppression by Government in UP. Meeting @RahulGandhi at 4.15 pm today.”

Meanwhile a Trinamool Congress delegation comprising MPs Kakoli Ghosh, Sushmita Sen, Dola Sen and Pratima Mandal is said to have met the families of the deceased farmers with Sushmita alleging that not only were farmers run over on Sunday leading to deaths of four, shots were also fired.

Congress leaders Priyanka Vadra and Deepender Hooda, meanwhile, remain in preventive detention at Sitapur guesthouse near Lakhimpur Kheri.

Deepender Hooda in a tweet said, “Those who mowed down farmers are free and we are in detention for over 36 hours. Farmer families are mourning and the government is celebrating in Lucknow. I wish to ask fellow Indians whether they will support those who ran over farmers or those fighting against this violence.”