Congress leaders on Monday protested in the premises of Uttar Pradesh Vidhan Sabha near the statue of Chaudhary Charan Singh demanding the dismissal of Union Minister of State for Home Affairs Ajay Mishra Teni over the Lakhimpur Kheri incident.
"We demanded that the government initiates discussion on farmers and especially on Lakhimpur Kheri incident. We have constantly been demanding the dismissal of the minister (Ajay Mishra Teni). His son was arrested and still, he on his post," said Congress leader Aradhana Mishra, who was among those protesting.
Congress leader Deepak Singh alleged that the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) is trying to deflect people's attention from the Lakhimpur Kheri incident, and that is why it is holding the election for Deputy Speaker of the Uttar Pradesh Assembly.
"The way farmers were killed in Lakhimpur Kheri, why is the government trying to run away from it? Why don't they sack the minister? This is an injustice to the farmers. Congress party will not let that happen. We will raise the voice of the farmers. This government wants to run away from important discussions. We will continue fighting until he is dismissed," said Ajay Kumar Lallu, President of Uttar Pradesh Congress Committee (UPCC).
The Congress is also boycotting the elections of Deputy Speaker being held today.
MLA Naresh Saini claimed that the state government is unaffected by the Lakhimpur Kheri incident. He said, "What is the point of holding Deputy Speaker's election now?" he questioned.
A total of eight people including four farmers died in the Lakhimpur Kheri violence on October 3.
Ashish Mishra, son of the minister and accused in the Lakhimpur Kheri incident was sent to jail by the Special Investigation Team (SIT) after being produced before the Crime Branch on October 14.
Samyukta Kisan Morcha, an umbrella body of several farmer unions, alleged that Ashish arrived with three vehicles around the time that farmers were dispersing from their protest at the helipad and mowed down farmers and towards the end also attacked SKM leader Tajinder Singh Virk directly, by trying to run a vehicle over him.
However, MoS Teni had refuted the allegations saying that his son Ashish Mishra was not present at the site of the incident. Ashish reiterated the same and refuted SKM's allegations. Later, several people, including Ashish Mishra, were arrested in the case.
( With inputs from ANI )
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