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A day after Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced to repeal the three contentious agriculture laws, Congress general secretary Priyanka Vadra urged him to not share the stage with Union Minister of State Ajay Mishra at the All-India DGs/IGs conference currently underway at DGP headquarters in Lucknow.
Shooting off a missive to the prime minister, Priyanka said that if the PM 'really cared' for the farmers, he should sack Mishra from the Union cabinet for his involvement in the mowing of agitating farmers by a convoy of suVs in Lakhimpur on October 3. Mishra's son Ashish and 12 of his cronies were subsequently arrested for fatally mowing down the four farmers. Earlier, the Congress and TMC had slammed Union Home Minister Amit Shah for sharing the stage with Mishra at the recent BJP membership drive in Lucknow..
"Union Minister of State for home, Ajay Mishra Teni is continuing with his post in your cabinet. If you will share the dais with the accuser’s father in this conference, it will send a message to the aggrieved families that you are standing with those protecting the killers. This will be an insult to the 700 farmers who were martyred during farmers’ satyagraha,” said Priyanka.
The Congress leader also said that the Uttar Pradesh government had tried to suppress justice and if Mishra continued to remain in the MoS Home, justice wouldn't be served.
“The entire country saw the massacre of farmers in Lakhimpur. You are aware that the person who mowed down farmers from his vehicle is the son of MOS Home in your government. Since the beginning, the Uttar Pradesh government has tried to suppress justice in this case due to political pressure. Even Home Minister Amit Shah and Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath have shared dais with the accused MoS home earlier,” she said.
“I have also urged Prime Minister Modi to withdraw cases against the farmers across the country and give compensation to the kin of deceased farmers,” said Priyanka.
Eight people, including farmers were killed in the violence that occurred in Tikunia area of Lakhimpur on October 3. Ashish, son of Ajay Mishra, is among the 13 arrested in connection with the deaths. All the victims were mowed down by a convoy of three vehicles, including a SUV owned by Ajay Mishra. Villagers alleged that shots were fired during the incident. However, autopsies have confirmed that none of the five men — or the three others who were killed in the subsequent violence that day, sustained gunshot injury.