Lakhimpur Kheri violence: Priyanka Gandhi observes 'maun vrat' seeking removal of Union Minister Ajay Mishra Teni

Uttar Pradesh Congress chief Ajay Kumar Lallu, along with party leaders and workers sat on 'maun vrat' seeking dismissal of Union Minister of State for Home Ajay Mishra Teni.

Pic Courtesy: ANI

New Delhi: Uttar Pradesh Congress led by general secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra observed 'maun vrat' on Monday (October 11) demanding the resignation of Union Minister of State for Home Ajay Mishra Teni in connection with the Lakhimpur Kheri violence in which his son Ashish Mishra has been sent to three-day police remand. 

Uttar Pradesh Congress chief Ajay Kumar Lallu, along with party leaders and workers sat on 'maun vrat' seeking dismissal of the Union minister. The protest started in Lucknow at 3 pm while in the rest of the country the programme was held from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. by the grand old party, IANS reported. 

Congress General Secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra & other party leaders observe 'maun vrat' at Gandhi statue at GPO, Lucknow, demanding dismissal of Union Minister for State (Home) Ajay Kumar Mishra whose son is an accused in the Lakhimpur Kheri violence pic.twitter.com/AsHU92rcPq — ANI UP (@ANINewsUP) October 11, 2021

A Congress spokesperson told PTI that the party is demanding the dismissal of Ajay Mishra Teni for ensuring free and fair investigation in the case. Congress and other opposition parties have taken the Uttar Pradesh government to task on Lakhimpur Kheri violence accusing it of shielding the Union minister's son. 

Priyanka Gandhi Vadra and Rahul Gandhi had also visited the kin of the deceased farmers in Lakhimpur Kheri on October 6. 

Reiterating UP Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath’s remark, UP Minister Siddharth Nath Singh said the law will take its own course and the government will not be influenced by any kind of pressure.

Ashish Mishra, who has been accused of running over the protesting farmers with his SUV in Lakhimpur Kheri, was sent to 3-day police remand on Monday. The special investigation team (SIT) of the Uttar Pradesh police has sought 14-day custody. He was arrested on Saturday (October 9) night following 12 hours of interrogation. Two of the seven people mentioned in the FIR were arrested on Thursday. They have been identified as Luvkush and Ashish Pandey. 

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)