Lakhimpur Kheri violence: Congress delegation calls on President, demands removal of MoS Home Ajay Mishra Teni

New Delhi: Congress leaders led by Rahul Gandhi met President Ram Nath Kovind on Wednesday (October 13) seeking dismissal of Minister of State for Home Ajay Kumar Mishra over the Lakhimpur Kheri violence case in which his son Ashish Mishra has been arrested. 

A delegation of Congress leaders including Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, AK Antony, Mallikarjun Kharge, KC Venugopal, Ghulam Nabi Azad, and Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury besides Rahul Gandhi called on the President at Rashtrapati Bhavan demanding the immediate removal of Teni. 

Addressing mediapersons after the meet, former Congress chief Rahul Gandhi said, “We told the President that the accused’s father who is MoS Home, should be removed from the post as a fair probe is not possible in his presence. Likewise, we also demanded inquiry be done by two sitting judges of Supreme Court.” 

A delegation of Indian National Congress leaders comprising Mallikarjun Kharge, AK Antony, Ghulam Nabi Azad, Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi Vadra called on President Kovind at Rashtrapati Bhavan: Rashtrapati Bhavan pic.twitter.com/jt1MO9vqbG

— ANI (@ANI) October 13, 2021

Priyanka Gandhi Vadra informed that Kovind has assured to discuss the issue. “President has given us the assurance that he will discuss the matter with the government today itself.” 

Lakhimpur Kheri violence | President has given us the assurance that he will discuss the matter with the government today itself: Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, Congress pic.twitter.com/yvEVlLsBLl

— ANI (@ANI) October 13, 2021

Mallikarjun Kharge said Congress has also asked for independent inquiry by sitting judges in Lakhimpur Kheri violence. “We gave all details to the President regarding Lakhimpur Kheri incident. We’ve 2 demands-independent inquiry by sitting judges should be done and MoS Home (Ajay Mishra Teni) should either resign or should be dismissed. Justice will only then be possible,” ANI quoted him as saying. 

Ashish Mishra, who was arrested on October 9 after 12 hours of interrogation by the Crime Branch of Uttar Pradesh police in connection with the Lakhimpur Kheri incident, was sent to three-day police custody by a local court on Monday. 

Earlier, Uttar Pradesh Congress led by general secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra had observed ‘maun vrat’ demanding the resignation of Ajay Mishra Teni. Priyanka Vadra and Rahul Gandhi had also visited the kin of the deceased farmers in Lakhimpur Kheri on October 6. 

In the violence that erupted during a farmers’ protest in Uttar Pradesh on October 3, eight people lost their lives, including four farmers in Lakhimpur Kheri. Among the other four, two who died were present in the cars, apparently a part of a convoy of BJP workers who came to welcome Uttar Pradesh Deputy CM Keshav Prasad Maurya, while one was a local journalist and one was a driver. 

(With agency inputs)

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