Lakhimpur Incident Lakhimpur incident: Rahul-Priyanka leads Congress delegation to President, demands sacking of MoS Home Mishra
New Delhi/UNI: A delegation of Congress leaders led by Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi Vadra met President Ram Nath Kovind on Wednesday and demanded sacking of Minister of State for Home Ajay Mishra, whose son is alleged to have been involved in the killing of farmers in the Lakhimpur Kheri violence incident.
They demanded a judicial probe and submitted a memorandum demanding the removal of the union minister mentioning in detail the Lakhimpur Kheri incident.
After the meeting, Rahul Gandhi told the media that they sought justice for the families of the farmers and a journalist who died in the incident.
लखीमपुर नरसंहार के शहीद किसानों के परिवार न्याय चाहते हैं। जिस व्यक्ति ने ये हत्याएं की हैं, उसको सजा मिले।
— Congress (@INCIndia) October 13, 2021
हमारी मांगें हैं कि गृह राज्य मंत्री को बर्खास्त किया जाये, दो सिटिंग जजों के अधीन निष्पक्ष जाँच हो, अपराधियों को सजा मिले: श्री @RahulGandhi #KisanKoNyayDo pic.twitter.com/cmmzVWTIzs
"We met the families of those who were crushed to death in Lakhimpur. They said they wanted justice, they wanted the guilty to be punished. They also said that the father of the accused is the home minister, as long as he is a minister, a fair probe cannot be done. We conveyed this to the President," Rahul Gandhi said.
Congress General Secretary Priyanka Gandhi said the President assured them he would talk to the government on the matter.
"The families of Lakhimpur victims believe an impartial probe is not possible till the minister is sacked. This is the demand of every right-minded person in this country," Priyanka Gandhi said.
"He assured us he would discuss the matter with the government today," she said.
लखीमपुर खीरी हिंसा में शहीद पत्रकार और शहीद किसानों के परिजन सिर्फ न्याय चाहते हैं। उनके लिए न्याय मतलब है - सिटिंग जजों के द्वारा निष्पक्ष जाँच की जाये और अपराधी के पिता गृह राज्यमंत्री हैं, उन्हें मंत्री पद से बर्खास्त किया जाये: श्रीमती @priyankagandhi #KisanKoNyayDo pic.twitter.com/CrffcT4Ru3
— Congress (@INCIndia) October 13, 2021
She also attacked the government and said the message being sent out by not sacking the minister was that there is "no justice for the poor" and "law does not apply to ministers".
"It is the government's responsibility to listen to people, this is not our demand as Congress party, it is the demand of the people," she added.
The delegation also included Rajya Sabha Leader of Opposition Mallikarjun Kharge, and senior party leaders A.K. Antony and Ghulam Nabi Azad.
हम राहुल गांधी जी के नेतृत्व में राष्ट्रपति जी से मिले। जो लखीमपुर खीरी में किसानों पर अन्याय हुआ है, किसानों को कुचल-कुचल कर मार दिया गया; हमने राष्ट्रपति जी से मिलकर सविस्तार स्थिति से अवगत करवाया और उनके समक्ष शहीद किसानों के परिजनों की मांगें रखी: श्री @kharge#KisanKoNyayDo pic.twitter.com/aritGOHbi4
— Congress (@INCIndia) October 13, 2021
Four farmers and a journalist were killed in Lakhimpur Kheri on Oct 3, when cars from the convoy of MoS Ajay Mishra ran over the farmers who were returning from a protest against the minister's visit.
Ashish Mishra, the minister's son, was alleged to have been involved in the incident as he was in one of the cars. He was named in the FIR and eventually arrested by the Uttar Pradesh police.
Four people from the convoy were also killed in the incident, after the farmers allegedly beat them up.
