Lakhimpur Kheri violence: Congress to stage nationwide protests today, seeks Priyanka Gandhi Vadra’s release

NEW DELHI: Congress leaders and workers will hold massive protests outside the offices of all district magistrates across the country on Tuesday to protest against the Lakhimpur Kheri violence that claimed the lives of at least nine people.

The Congress had on Monday said that a nationwide campaign against the Lakhimpur Kheri violence that led to the death of four farmers would be held outside all DC offices from “Kashmir to Kanyakumari”.

Congress spokesperson Rajiv Shukla also demanded the release of AICC general secretary, Uttar Pradesh, Priyanka Vadra who is currently lodged at Sitapur guest house after being prevented from reaching Lakhimpur Kheri to meet the victims’ families.

“This practice of preventing political leaders from free movement is very hazardous. We never did this when we were in power. Then Gujarat CM Narendra Modi had reached Oberoi hotel in Mumbai during the 26/11 terror attack. Priyanka Vadra should be released. She was stopped at Hargaon on the border of Lakhimpur Kheri and sent back to Sitapur,” Shukla said accusing UP police of illegal detention of Vadra and Congress leaders.

The Congress leaders protested outside UP Bhawan in the national capital on Monday and staged agitations elsewhere in the nation. The party also demanded enhanced compensation of Rs one crore for each of the farmers killed and sought immediate release of Priyanka Gandhi Vadra.

“The compensation amount should be Rs one crore to each of the farmers killed in the violence. The Union minister should be dismissed first, the manner in which he is out to protect his son. He should also be booked and the same cases should be registered against the minister as those on his son," he said.

Congress also demanded the immediate dismissal of Union Minister of State for Home Ajay Mishra and the arrest of his son Ashish who has been named in an FIR by the Uttar Pradesh Police after the death of nine people, including four farmers in violent clashes in Lakhimpur Kheri. 

“We demand that Union minister Ajay Mishra should be immediately dismissed from his post and his son arrested forthwith. We also demand that the minister should be booked for the same offence as his son as he is trying to protect him," Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel told reporters.

At least eight people were killed on Sunday as violence erupted during a farmers’ protest, claiming the lives of both farmers and BJP workers ahead of a visit to Lakhimpur by Deputy Chief Minister Keshav Prasad Maurya. 

Four of the dead were people in cars, apparently a part of a convoy of BJP workers who had come to welcome the UP minister. They were allegedly thrashed to death. The four others were farmers, officials said.

Farmer leaders had claimed that the Union minister’s son Ashish Mishra was in one of the cars which, they alleged, knocked down some protesters who were opposing the deputy CM’s visit. 

However, Ajay Mishra said he and his son were not present at the spot as alleged by some farmer leaders and he has photo and video evidence to prove it.

The Yogi Adityanath government on Monday ordered a probe into the incident and announced a compensation of Rs 45 lakh each and jobs for the kin of the deceased farmers.