Yogi Adityanath Calls Opposition's Lakhimpur Visit 'Political Tourism', Slams Congress

Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath on Friday slammed Opposition leaders and termed their visits to Lakhimpur Kheri as political tourism.

In an exclusive conversation with CNN-News18, he said, “They are doing political tourism today. Where were they during Covid times. Chhattisgarh CM and Punjab CMs are not being able to handle their own states but want to come to Lakhimpur. Punjab CM is not even able to decide on his own DGP – it is shameful. They just want to hide their own weaknesses.”

“Chhattisgarh CM is unable to control his own state, few framers were killed in their own state but they did not do anything. They all are just trying to hid their own mistakes. I wish to ask Rahul, Priyanka and Akhilesh, what have they done to help people during corona crisis,” he added.

He also assured action in the Lakhimpur Kheri incident, saying the guilty won’t go unpunished.

Speaking at a News18 UP event, Adityanath said what unfolded in Lakhimpur was “an extremely sad incident” and that nobody has the right to take the law into their hands.

Four farmers were killed on Sunday when an SUV belonging to Union minister Ajay Mishra Teni’s son Ashish Mishra ran over a group of farmers returning from a protest against the new agri-marketing laws. Three occupants of the vehicle and a journalist were killed in the violence that followed.

Teni’s son Ashish is among the seven people mentioned in the FIR, but both he and his father have maintained that he wasn’t present at the spot at the time of the incident.

“There is no place for violence in a democracy. The law is equal for all. We will not spare the guilty,” the CM said.

So far, two of the seven people booked have been arrested, Luvkush of Banbirpur village and Ashish Pandey of Nighasan tehsil.

Speaking on the pace of arrests in the case, Adityanath said, “The Supreme Court has said that before arresting someone, we should have sufficient evidence against him.”

Adityanath’s statement came even as Ashish Mishra missed a 10 am deadline to appear for questioning before the police.

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