New Delhi: Delhi Chief Minister and Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) national convener Arvind Kejriwal on Wednesday criticised the Centre for its “apathy” towards the Lakhimpur Kheri violence, which was triggered on Sunday after eight people were killed when an SUV ran over the people.
He questioned the central government’s silence over the issue. Kejriwal urged Prime Minister Narendra Modi to immediately arrest the accused and sack Union minister of state for home Ajay Mishra Teni, whose son was allegedly in the vehicle. He asked Modi to meet the families of those killed.
Kejriwal said every citizen of the country was awaiting justice. “I am talking to you (Modi) on behalf of the people of India. Why have the accused, who ran over the farmers, still not been arrested? Why are they being shielded from punishment? Everyone has watched on TV how the violence unfolded. It appears as if the entire system is engaged in saving those who are behind the incident despite murdering people in broad daylight and in front of so many people. We have seen such things only in Hindi movies.”
“On one hand, we are celebrating Azadi ka Amrit Mahotsav (in the run-up to 75 years of independence) and on the other hand, Opposition leaders are being stopped from visiting Lakhimpur Kheri. They are being put in jails. What kind of independence is this? This is how the British used to act. What is being hidden there that neither journalists nor opposition leaders are being allowed to visit the area?” he asked.
“Today, people of this system are saying the vehicle involved in the violence did not have the minister’s son in it. After a week, this system will say there was no car in the incident, and in another week after that, they will say there were no farmers at the spot. The truth is that we do not have justice here. Today, every citizen is demanding justice,” he added.
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