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Need for joint opposition: Sena's Sanjay Raut to meet Rahul Gandhi today over Lakhimpur Kheri violence
Citing the detention of Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi and restriction on movement of political leaders to meet farmers, Raut said there was a need for a joint opposition against the oppression meted out by the government in UP.
Shiv Sena MP Sanjay Raut said on Tuesday the violence in Uttar Pradesh’s Lakhimpur Kheri in which at least eight persons, including farmers and a local journalist, died on Sunday, had shaken the nation.
Citing the detention of Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi and restriction on movement of political leaders to meet farmers, Raut said he would meet Rahul Gandhi later in the day as there was a need for a joint opposition against the oppression meted out by the government in UP.
Taking to Twitter, the MP wrote, “#LakhimpurKheriViolence has shaken the nation,@priyankagandhi has been arrested 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. जय हिंद!”
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The Sena mouthpiece Saamana, which is edited by Raut, has also questioned the silence of Prime Minister Narendra Modi over the deaths in Lakhimpur Kheri.
In an editorial, the Sena said Modi was a “very sensitive and emotional person”, while adding that it was “surprising” that he had not offered condolences to the families of the people killed.
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“There have been many occasions where the Prime Minister was seen getting emotional over the issues of the poor. It is surprising that the sensitive Modi has not expressed condolences to families of the farmers who were crushed to death...”
Modi is on a visit to UP attend to participate in a three-day urban conclave event in Lucknow and other government programmes, including handing over keys of PMAY-U houses to 75,000 beneficiaries.
Also read | 'Why is this man free?' Priyanka Gandhi poses question for PM Modi on Lakhimpur
Earlier, Raut also shared a tweet from Priyanka Gandhi in which she addressed Modi stating that she was being detained for more than 28 hours without any order, but those who mowed down farmers were still not arrested. The tweet also had a viral video which purportedly showed two vehicles, including a sports utility vehicle (SUV), running over a group of people at Tikunia in Lakhimpur Kheri.
