Mumbai: Maharashtra Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray-led Maha Vikas Aghadi government has called for a statewide bandh on October 11 against the violent incident in Uttar Pradesh’s Lakhimpur Kheri during a farmers’ protest.
“Maha Vikas Aghadi (NCP-Congress-Shiv Sena alliance) calls for a statewide bandh on October 11 against the Lakhimpur Kheri violence incident,” said Maharashtra Minister and Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) leader Jayant Patil, ANI reported.
READ: 'Ready To Depose Before Any Inquiry Panel': MoS Home Ajay Kumar Mishra On Lakhimpur Kheri Incident
This comes as the opposition parties have been lambasting the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)-led government at the Centre and in Uttar Pradesh over the incident in which eight people were killed.
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.
Mishra 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”.
“All angles will be probed,” he added.
Responding to a poser on his name being mentioned in the First Information Report (FIR), the Minister of State for Home Affairs said: “I know the process of law and I assure to follow the due process as like common citizen.”
Mishra downplayed questions on the opposition parties seeking his resignation over the incident.
“Respect of the country is increasing (across the world), both the Prime Minister as well as Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) are gaining popularity. When the opposition parties are not able to face us directly, then they are doing negative politics,” he said.
Earlier on Monday, the Uttar Pradesh Police filed an FIR against Ashish Mishra, the son of the Minister of State for Home Affairs.
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.