Priyanka Gandhi in detention, Rahul to visit Lakhimpur as UP govt denies permission

The political showdown in UP over the Lakhimpur Kheri incident is set to escalate as the UP government has denied Congress leader Rahul Gandhi permission to visit the district.

The Congress had on Tuesday informed the administration that a Congress delegation led by Rahul Gandhi planned to visit Lakhimpur, but the permission was denied soon after with the state government citing orders banning large gatherings..

Rahul's sister and Congress general secretary Priyanka Gandhi is already under detention since Monday when she was stopped from visiting Lakhimpur Kheri. Priyanka has been kept at a PAC camp at Sitapur since Monday. She has called her detention illegal without any notice or warrant.

On Tuesday, Priyanka spoke to the kin of farmers and the journalist killed in the Lakhimpur violence over the phone from the Sitapur guest house.

She has been releasing video statements from detention slamming the state and Central governments.

Amid state government's efforts to block opposition leaders from visiting the Lakhimpur victims' families, Chhattisgarh CM Bhupesh Baghel was stopped from leaving the Lucknow airport on Tuesday. In a video he shared on Twitter, Baghel can be seen sitting down at the airport to protest being stopped from leaving the premises.

Also Read | Lakhimpur protests: Priyanka behind bars wants PM Modi to see 'trample video'