Punjab Congress leader Navjot Singh Sidhu was detained along with some legislators of his party after they held a protest outside the Punjab governor’s residence in Chandigarh on
Monday and demanded the arrest of the Union minister’s son in the Lakhimpur Kheri violence.

Sidhu led a protest by Congress workers outside the residence of the Punjab Governor in Chandigarh, raising slogans against the centre over the new farm laws. He also demanded the arrest of Union minister of state Ajay Kumar Mishra’s son for allegedly running a car over protesting farmers.

Chandigarh Police detained Sidhu and the Congress workers. Sidhu’s protest comes nearly a week after he resigned as the Punjab Congress chief. He is now back on board after an agreement was reached with Channi.

Meanwhile, the Uttar Pradesh government denied permission to Punjab Chief Minister Charanjit Singh Channi to visit the violence-hit district in Uttar Pradesh.

The Punjab government had today urged the Uttar Pradesh government to allow Channi’s chopper to land so that he can visit Lakhimpur Kheri. Earlier, Punjab Deputy Chief Minister Sukhjinder Singh Randhawa too was denied permission to land at the Lucknow airport.

Following this, Randhawa, Punjab Congress working president Kuljit Singh Nagra and a few party legislators, including Kulbir Singh Zira, Barindermeet Singh Pahra and Gurpreet Singh GP, went to Uttar Pradesh by road.

Punjab Opposition parties, the Aam Aadmi Party and the Shiromani Akali Dal, also announced that they would be sending delegations to UP. Eight people were killed on Sunday as violence erupted during a farmers’ protest, claiming the lives of both farmers and BJP workers.

Channi took to Twitter to announce that he would go to Lakhimpur Kheri and that he had sought permission from the UP government for the visit.

“Expressing solidarity with bereaved families of farmers, I’m leaving for Lakhimpur Kheri to be with my brothers and sisters in this hour of grief. I’ve also sought permission from the UP government to allow landing/taking off of choppers at the site,” he tweeted.