The Shiv Sena today lashed out at the Madhya Pradesh government for preventing Congress leader Rahul Gandhi from entering trouble-hit Mandsaur, saying it is detrimental to democracy and wrong to create a wall between the Opposition leaders and "victims".


The BJP constantly terms Rahul Gandhi as a "weak and an ineffective leader", the Sena pointed out and said if that was so, it had no reason to bar him from entering Mandsaur.


Leaders of opposition parties have all the rights to meet the families of those affected by "government's brutality," opined an editorial in Sena mouthpiece 'Saamana'.


On June 6, five farmers were killed as the agitation by peasants demanding a loan waiver and remunerative prices for their produce turned violent in Mandsaur.


Besides, a 26-year-old farmer had died in Badwan village, also in Mandsaur, allegedly after being beaten up by police.


In the wake of the incidents, Gandhi tried to visit Mandsaur to meet the kin of the victims but was denied permission. Later, Patel quota agitation leader Hardik Patel was also turned back by police before he could enter Mandsaur.