After the visit of Congress general secretary Rahul Gandhi to Nighasan in Lakhimpur Kheri district on Wednesday, the Congress has planned to hold a farmers' “mahapanchayat” in Bhatta-Parsaul on July 9 in a bid to sharpen its attack on the Mayawati government. The proposed farmers' rally will be addressed by Mr. Gandhi.
According to Uttar Pradesh Congress Committee sources, permission has been sought from the Gautam Buddha Nagar (Noida) district administration for the proposed “mahapanchayat.” The representation was handed over on Wednesday. An alternative site has also been suggested by the Congress as the venue for the farmers' rally. “While Bhatta-Parsaul is the first choice, the name of Jevar has also been suggested,” said Subodh Srivastava, chief spokesperson of the Pradesh Congress Committee on Thursday.
Mr. Srivastava said the Noida administration had been asked to grant approval for the proposed panchayat within 24 hours as arrangements had to be made in time for the big event.
The State government has not taken kindly to the Amethi MP's visit to Nighasan where he met the parents and family members of a 14-year-old girl, who was allegedly raped and murdered inside a police station. Mr. Gandhi demanded a CBI probe and reportedly assured the girl's mother that justice would be delivered. It was at his behest that a copy of the FIR was handed over to the girl's family members by the Kheri Sub-Divisional Magistrate, reports said.
Sources said the government proposed to send a report to the Centre expressing its displeasure over the manner in which Mr. Gandhi went to Nighasan unannounced and without prior information as it entailed a threat to his security.
The Amethi MP was in Fursatganj in Rae Bareli district on Wednesday on an official visit to the Indira Gandhi Rashtriya Udaan Akademi. It was said that on his return to Lucknow, he would visit the Jankipuram residence of Deputy Chief Medical Officer Y.S. Sachan, who is the main accused in the murder of Chief Medical Officer (Family Welfare) B.P. Singh. Dr. Sachan was found dead under mysterious circumstances inside the Lucknow district jail hospital on the night of June 22 after which the government ordered a judicial probe into the incident. The post-mortem report clearly indicates that it is a case of murder.
