LAKHIMPUR KHERI/NEW DELHI: Ten days after Uttar Pradesh saw clashes between farmers, locals and supporters of Minister Ajay Mishra that left eight dead from both sides, political one-upmanship is here to stay as none of the parties want to cede any space in the run up to 2022 elections.
BJP, on Wednesday, sent its Uttar Pradesh Law minister Brijesh Pathak to visit the bereaved families of their party supporters — Hari Om Mishra and Shubham Mishra in Lakhimpur Kheri. This came on a day when Congress led by the Gandhis and its senior leaders knocked the doors at the Rashtrapati Bhawan to meet the President to raise concern over the deaths.
The delegation also presented a memorandum of facts about the Lakhimpur Kheri incident to the President.
Ashish Mishra Must Resign, 2 Sitting Judges Should Probe The Case: Congress
Though, BJP has announced Rs 45 lakh compensation for both factions, that is farmers & other deceased, Congress has raised a fresh demand seeking minister Ajay Mishra’s designation and inclusion of sitting judges to probe the matter.
“We conveyed to the President that the MoS Home Ajay Mishra should resign to ensure an impartial probe in the Lakhimpur violence as his son Ashish is an accused in the matter,” Congress leader Rahul Gandhi told reporters outside Rashtrapati Bhavan.
The Congress delegation included AK Antony, Ghulam Nabi Azad, Mallikarjun Kharge and Priyanka Gandhi Vadra.
Priyanka Gandhi claimed the president has assured us that he will “talk to the government” regarding it today itself.
BJP Slams Priyanka’s Theatrics
BJP, on the other hand, has slammed the theatrics by Priyanka, including her visit to Varanasi and Lucknow, calling her a political tourist — who comes only when any unfortunate incident happens to disturb the state.
With UP Police having taken Ajay Mishra’s son Ashish into 3-day police custody, CM Yogi Adityanath and even BJP president Swatantra Dev Singh have given a strong indication that they won’t tolerate any wrongdoing by anyone.
That they will also conduct a fair and neutral probe but also not allow Opposition leaders to incite the farmers again.