'Enough Of Ganga Dubkis, Fire Minister Ajay Mishra': Oppn Reacts To SIT Report On Lakhimpur Violence

Congress general secretary Priyanka Gandhi said PM Modi had not removed Minister of State for Home Ajay Mishra from his post because of his "anti-farmer mindset".

Congress Leaders Priyanka And Rahul Gandhi. (Getty Images)

New Delhi: After the SIT investigating the Lakhimpur Kheri incident called it a "pre-planned conspiracy", Opposition leaders from Congress, TMC and other parties trained their guns on Prime Minister Narendra Modi and demanded the immediate removal of Union Minister Ajay Mishra.

Congress general secretary Priyanka Gandhi said PM Modi had not removed Minister of State for Home Ajay Mishra from his post because of his "anti-farmer mindset".

Rahul Gandhi demanded that Prime Minister Narendra Modi should apologise once more. Shiromani Akali Dal chief Sukhbir Singh Badal said a fast track court should be set up in the Lakhimpur Kheri case.

TMC MP Mahua Moitra also took a dig at PM Narendra Modi while tweeting, "Lakhmipur Kheri SIT says incident was pre-planned, not an accident. Says Ashish Mishra should be tried for attempt to murder. Enough of Ganga dubkis. Get justice back on track, fire Ajay Mishra and see this to end."

Lakhmipur Kheri SIT says incident was pre-planned, not an accident. Says Ashish Mishra should be tried for attempt to murder.

Enough of Ganga dubkis. Get justice back on track, fire Ajay Mishra & see this to end.

— Mahua Moitra (@MahuaMoitra) December 14, 2021

The remarks came after the Special Investigation Team (SIT) investigating the Lakhimpur Kheri violence, in which eight people were killed in October, urged the chief judicial magistrate to replace lesser charges in the case like causing death by negligence with an attempt to murder, saying that it was a "pre-planned conspiracy causing death".

Ashish Mishra, the son of Union Minister Ajay Mishra, is an accused in the case.

'Modiji Its Time To Apologise Again': Rahul Gandhi

Taking to Twitter, Rahul Gandhi said the minister tried to kill farmers and the PM knew as he was a member of his team. "Modi ji, it is time to apologise again... But first remove the accused's father from the minister's post. The truth is before you!" Rahul Gandhi said.

मोदी जी, फिर से माफ़ी माँगने का टाइम आ गया…
लेकिन पहले अभियुक्त के पिता को मंत्री पद से हटाओ।

सच सामने है!#Lakhimpur #Murder pic.twitter.com/r5wfoOLHak

— Rahul Gandhi (@RahulGandhi) December 14, 2021

"Truth is that 2-3 capitalists are against farmers... These MPs were not suspended by the RS chairman or PM but by the power that wants to steal farmers' income. PM & the chairman are just implementors," he said.

Rahul Gandhi said the Congress would certainly raise the issue in Parliament but the Centre would not allow a discussion.

"When they ran their jeep over farmers, which forces were behind them? Who gave them the liberty and which force kept them out of jail?" Gandhi said.

'Even Police Is Saying Union Minister's Son Conspired Against Farmers': Priyanka Gandhi

Priyanka Gandhi demanded an inquiry into the role of the Union Minister in the "conspiracy".

"Due to the court's rebuke and because of 'satyagraha', now even the police is saying that the son of the Minister of State for Home had conspired and crushed the farmers," the Congress leader said.

न्यायालय की फटकार व सत्याग्रह के चलते अब पुलिस का भी कहना है कि गृह राज्यमंत्री के बेटे ने साजिश करके किसानों को कुचला था

जांच होनी चाहिए कि इस साजिश में गृहराज्यमंत्री की क्या भूमिका थी? लेकिन @narendramodi जी किसान विरोधी मानसिकता के चलते आपने तो उन्हें पद से भी नहीं हटाया है। pic.twitter.com/ZLRNNefz7I

— Priyanka Gandhi Vadra (@priyankagandhi) December 14, 2021

"But @narendramodi ji, due to anti-farmer mindset, you have not even removed him from his post," the Congress general secretary further said.

SIT Urges CJM To Press Murder Charges

In the context of the October 3 violence in Uttar Pradesh, the SIT recommended the CJM to replace IPC sections 279 (rash driving/riding), 338 (causing serious injury by carelessness), and 304A (causing death by a rash and negligent conduct) with IPC section 307 (attempt to murder), among other provisions.

Four farmers were allegedly mowed down by an SUV being driven by Ashish Mishra at Lakhimpur Kheri when a group agitating against the Centre's three farm laws was holding a demonstration against the visit of Uttar Pradesh Deputy Chief Minister Keshav Prasad Maurya. Two BJP workers and a driver were beaten to death allegedly by the angry protesters, and a local journalist was killed in the violence.