New Delhi: The All India Congress Committee has sought time from President Ram Nath Kovind to discuss details of the Lakhimpur Kheri violence.
In a letter to Kovind, the Congress sought an appointment with the President, at the earliest, where a delegation from the party would present a detailed memorandum of facts that led to the violence.
According to media reports, eight people, four of which were farmers were killed in Uttar Pradesh’s Lakhimpur Kheri after violence erupted over a visit by Mishra and UP Deputy Chief Minister Keshav Maurya.
A murder case has been filed against Union Minister Ajay Kumar Mishra’s son, Ashish Mishra and several others over Sunday’s violence in Lakhimpur Kheri. The farmers who were present to curb the visit of the Union Minister and Deputy Chief Minister Keshav Maurya, said the violence in Lakhimpur Kheri district started after one of the cars in the ministers’ convoy mowed down the protesters. Visuals from the area showed arson and vehicles set on fire.
Congress general secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra will be addressing the “Kisan Nyay” (justice for farmers) rally in Varanasi shortly. The name of the rally was changed from “Pratigya” rally after the Lakhimpur Kheri incident. Priyanka Gandhi has reached Varanasi.
“Congress General Secretary @priyankagandhi reached Varanasi to raise the voice of farmers’ justice in ‘Kisan Nyay Rally’. We will fight the fight of farmers’ justice unitedly and will keep our farmers by getting justice,” the tweet read.
However, the Samyukt Kisan Morcha, which is spearheading the farmers’ agitation, demanded Minister of State, Mishra’s arrest as well on charges of spreading disharmony, and murder and conspiracy, and his resignation from the Union Council of Ministers, warning protests across the country if the demands were not met.
MP Varun Gandhi, who was recently excluded from the BJP’s national executive, has said that an attempt is being made to turn the Lakhimpur Kheri incident into a Hindu vs Sikh battle. “Not only is this an immoral & false narrative, it is dangerous to create these fault-lines & reopen wounds that have taken a generation to heal. We must not put petty political gains above national unity(sic),” he tweeted.
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