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Continuing with his pro-farmer stand, BJP MP from Pilibhit, Varun Gandhi demanded Rs 1 crore compensation each for the kin of farmers who died during the agitation against three farm laws. A known critic of the BJP government’s agricultural policies, he also demanded that Prime Minister should take ‘strict action’ against Union Minister of State for Home, Ajay Kumar Mishra ‘Teni’, whose son Ashish Mishra is under arrest for mowing down agitating farmers in tikunia area of Lakhimpur Kheri on October 3 and demanded the withdrawal of FIRs registered against agitating farmers. Gandhi is the first BJP leader to have sought action against the Union minister publicly for the Lakhimpur Kheri violence.
In a letter written to the Prime Minister on Saturday, Gandhi wrote: “The heartbreaking incident at Lakhimpur is a blemish on our democracy. It is my request to you that appropriately strict action is taken against the Union Minister of State for Home who has been connected to this incident so that there is a fair inquiry.
Eight people, including four farmers, were killed in Tikunia area of Lakhimpur Kheri district on October 3 after a convoy of three SUVs, including one owned by Union MoS for Home Ajay Mishra, mowed down a group of farm protesters leading to a violent clash. The Union minister’s son and ten others were arrested for the incident.
In the letter, the BJP MP also pointed out, “Several leaders in senior positions had given provocative statements and the adversarial atmosphere created around the movement, that on October 3, five of our farmer brothers were crushed to death by vehicles in Lakhimpur Kheri”.
Gandhi also demanded from the Prime Minister that each farmer’s family who died during the protest be compensated with Re 1 crore, a new law guaranteeing Minimum Support Price (MSP) to the farmers for their produce be enacted and the FIRs against the agitating farmers immediately be withdrawn.