Lakhimpur Kheri Violence: Harish Rawat, Navjot Singh Sidhu To Lead Congress Protest Against BJP

The Punjab Congress workers led by Navjot Singh Sidhu will also march from Mohali to Lakhimpur Kheri on Thursday in protest against the “brutal murder” of the farmers there.

Congress Party Leaders Harish Rawat (L) And Navjot Singh Sidhu (R) [Picture Credit: Twitter @ANI / AFP]

New Delhi: As the war of words between the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and the opposition escalate, the Uttarakhand Congress workers led by former chief minister Harish Rawat will go to violence-hit Lakhimpur Kheri in Uttar Pradesh from Ramnagar on Thursday.

The Uttarakhand Congress workers, packed in 1000 vehicles, will leave from Rampur for Lakhimpur Kheri, said Rawat, ANI reported.

READ: SC Takes Suo Motu Cognisance Of Lakhimpur Kheri Incident, To Hear Matter On Thursday

The Punjab Congress workers led by Navjot Singh Sidhu will also march from Mohali to Lakhimpur Kheri on Thursday in protest against the “brutal murder” of the farmers there.

Earlier in the day, Congress leaders Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi met the families of the victims killed in the violence in Lakhimpur Kheri.

Meanwhile, the Supreme Court has taken suo motu cognisance of the violence in Lakhimpur Kheri in which eight people were killed during a farmers’ protest.

An apex court bench of Chief Justice N.V. Ramana and Justices Surya Kant and Hima Kohli will hear the matter on Thursday.

This comes as a major political row has erupted over the Lakhimpur incident with the opposition parties criticizing the BJP-led government at the Centre and in Uttar Pradesh.

The opposition parties, including the Congress, CPI (M) and Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), have been demanding Minister of State for Home Ajay Kumar Mishra’s removal from the Union Cabinet in the light of his involvement in the attack against farmers in Lakhimpur Kheri.

The Minister of State for Home has, however, said he is “ready to depose before any inquiry panel” and added “the case is being investigated from all possible angles engaging multiple investigating agencies”.

He reiterated that neither he nor his son was present at the spot when the Lakhimpur Kheri violence took place earlier on Sunday.

“Neither me nor my son were present at the spot when the violence broke out in Lakhimpur Kheri. Our car was diverted to a different route.... I am ready to depose before any inquiry panel,” he told ANI in an exclusive conversation.

Asserting the “investigating agencies will investigate every conspiracy to get to the bottom of the incident”, Mishra said that action would be taken against whoever is guilty.

Assuring a fair investigation into the Lakhimpur Kheri incident, Mishra said the investigating agencies are working “without any influence”.

Earlier on Monday, the Uttar Pradesh Police filed an FIR against Ashish Mishra.

It is alleged that Ashish ran his car over the protesting farmers in Lakhimpur Kheri on Sunday.

The FIR also mentions the name of the Minister of State for Home Affairs.