Ahead of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s Lucknow visit, Congress general secretary Priyanka Gandhi tweeted a viral video of a car -linked to Union minister Ajay Mishra’s son- running over farmers at a protest in Lakhimpur Kheri district in Uttar Pradesh.
Posing questions to the PM Modi, Gandhi who was detained on Monday asked: “Have you seen this video? Why hasn’t this man been arrested? Leaders like us who want to visit Lakhimpur Kheri have been put under custody without any FIR, I want to know why this man is free?”
Congress leader also questioned why Union minister Ajay Mishra has not been sacked.
Gandhi went on to say: “When you sit on the dais for Azadi ka Mahotsav festival today Modiji, please remember that we got our Independence because of the farmers. Even today, their sons protect our borders. Our farmers are troubled for months, and have been raising their voices but you have been ignoring them.”
On Sunday, four farmers were among eight persons killed in UP’s Lakhimpur Kheri after a convoy of three SUVs, including one owned by Union Minister of State for Home Ajay Mishra, hit a group of farm protesters. The protest leader said one farmer was killed in firing by minister Mishra’s son Ashish Mishra.
On Monday, the police registered an FIR on charges of murder against Mishra’s son Ashish, who was driving one of the vehicles.
Following countrywide protests and condemnations, the state government announced Rs 45 lakh each for the families of the deceased. Further, a judicial committee headed by a senior judge will probe the incident.
No arrests have been made so far.
