In a shocking development, eight people including four protesting farmers were reportedly killed in Uttar Pradesh’s Lakhimpur Kheri on Sunday. The Congress has demanded the resignation of Union Minister Ajay Mishra’s resignation.
Farmers have alleged that they had assembled to stage a peaceful protest against the visit by Mishra and Uttar Pradesh’s Deputy Chief Minister Keshav Maurya, adding that the violence started after protesters were mowed down by the car.
Mishra, a junior home minister of India, was quoted by news agency ANI, “Three of our workers & a driver were killed & cars were set on fire in Lakhimpur Kheri. We’re going to get FIR registered. We’ve video. Case u/s 302 to be registered against those involved & action will be taken.”
#WATCH | "Three of our workers & a driver were killed & cars were set on fire in Lakhimpur Kheri. We're going to get FIR registered. We've video. Case u/s 302 to be registered against those involved & action will be taken,"says MoS Home Ajay Mishra Teni
(Source: Self-made video) pic.twitter.com/rHUZ3p3sX2
— ANI (@ANI) October 3, 2021
Farmers alleged that the minister’s son was in the car, which killed some of their colleagues. “The farmers had planned to gherao the helipad to stop the arrival of the ministers. Once that ended and most people were on way back, three cars came… and mowed down the farmers… one farmer died on the spot and another in the hospital,” Dr Darshan Pal, a leader of the farmers’ union, was quoted by NDTV.
Congress General Secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, who arrived in Lucknow has left for Lakhimpur Kheri.
Punjab Chief Minister Charanjit Singh Channi tweeted, “I strongly condemn Lakhimpur Kheri incident in which innocent farmers have lost their lives & share condolences with bereaved families in this hour of grief. I also depute Deputy CM @Sukhjinder_INC & MLA @kuljitnagra1 to ascertain situation & extend all help to aggrieved families.”
Farmers were reportedly angry against Mishra for his recent speech whereby he said that it would take just two minutes to make protesting farmers in line.