Priyanka Gandhi was detained for consoling the family of deceased farmers, says DK Shivakumar on Priyanka Gandhi’s detention

Mangaluru (Karnataka) (India), October 5 (ANI): Karnataka Congress leader DK Shivakumar on Tuesday said that no person has been arrested so far in connection with the Lakhimpur Kheri incident and alleged that the Uttar Pradesh police had arrested his party general secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra for offering consolation to the families of deceased farmers.

According to Uttar Pradesh police, eight people died in the incident in Lakhimpur Kheri on Sunday. Samyukta Kisan Morcha, an umbrella organisation of several farmers’ unions, had claimed that four farmers were killed in the incident.

Shivakumar said that the Congress was following Mahatma Gandhi’s style of protest.

“The lesson Gandhi taught us is to fight on the path of non-violence… We follow the Gandhian method of protest,” said Shivakumar

Shivakumar, who is on his Dakshina Kannada tour and speaking to reporters outside the Mangaluru airport, said that no one has been arrested so far in the Lakhimpur Kheri case and that it is their political duty to console the family members of the deceased farmers.

“The son of a Union minister kills four people by running over a car of protesting farmers… Whoever did this has not been arrested, the minister has not resigned. Is this a government?” Shivakumar said.

“Our leader Priyanka Gandhi was arrested by the Uttar Pradesh police for offering condolences to the families of dead farmers. It is a political duty to offer condolences,” he added.

Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi on Tuesday claimed that she had been detained for the past 28 hours without any warrant or FIR.

Samyukta Kisan Morcha, an umbrella body of several farmers’ unions, alleged that Ashish Mishra Teni, son of Minister of State for Home Affairs Ajay Mishra Teni, arrived with three vehicles around the time when farmers were breaking up their protest at the helipad and mowed down farmers. Towards the end, he also directly attacked SKM leader Tajinder Singh Virk by trying to run him over with a vehicle.

MoS Teni refuted the SKM’s allegations and said his son was not present at the accident site, adding that some miscreants joined the protesting farmers and pelted stones at the car, leading to the “unfortunate incident”.

Earlier, Uttar Pradesh Police Deputy Director General (Law and Order) Prashant Kumar said, “The government will give Rs 4.5 crore and government job to the families of the four farmers who died in Lakhimpur Kheri yesterday. The injured will get Rs 1 crore. An FIR will be filed based on the farmers’ complaints. A retired Supreme Court judge will investigate the matter.”

The ADG also informed that no political party leader was allowed to visit the district as Section 144 of the CrPC was in force. (ANI)