While the opposition parties, especially the Congress continue to play vulture politics in the wake of the Lakhimpur Kheri incident, Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath has assured that the perpetrators will not be spared. He has, however, declined to take any action under pressure, without evidence.
Speaking at a conclave organized by a television channel on Friday (October 8), the UP CM asserted that “arrests will be made on the basis of evidence and not mere accusations.”
Action would be taken against perpetrators of Lakhimpur Kheri veiolnce in accordance with the procedure: Yogi Adityanath
“Everything will be crystal clear. There will be no injustice to anyone. No one will be allowed to take the law into their own hands, but no action will be taken under any pressure”, Yogi said.
The UP CM further said that opposition members who wanted to pay a visit to the victims’ families were only doing so to put on a show, but in reality, there are some faces among them who could be behind the Lakhimpur Kheri tragedy.
Asserting the everybody, irrespective of his position and power, are equal in the eyes of law, the Uttar Pradesh CM assured that the guilty, regardless of his or her party affiliation, would not be spared.
“However, according to the Supreme Court, we cannot arrest anyone on the basis of mere accusations made by someone. A case has been filed on the basis of a written complaint and the incident is being investigated”, the CM said when questioned about the possible resignation of Union Minister Ajay Mishra Teni and arrest of his son Ashish Mishra.
Earlier, the UP police had named Ashish Mishra in the FIR filed in the Lakhimpur Kheri violence case. The ‘farmers’ have been insisting that Ashish Mishra was present at the spot when the incident happened, and some are even claiming that he was driving the car that hit two farmer protestors killing them. On the other hand, he and his father are saying that he was not even present at the spot on that day, so there is no question of him hitting the people with his car.
Yogi Adityanath slams opposition members, says they are targeting the UP govt to hide their failures
Slamming the members of the opposition parties for using the incident for political mileage, Yogi Adityanath said that the CM of Chhattisgarh and Punjab have not been able to run their own states but have been targeting the Uttar Pradesh government to hide their failures. He questioned the Congress scions, Rahul and Priyanka Gandhi, who have been particularly milking the Lakhimpur tragedy to boost their drowning political careers, especially before the upcoming UP Assembly polls.
“Where were Rahul and Priyanka and Akhilesh Yadav when Covid was in an uproar? Everyone, including the victims’ families, said they appreciated the government’s work” he said.
‘Farmers’ threaten a nationwide ‘rail roko’ protest fuelling further violence
Amidst the state government’s assurance that the guilty would not be spared and justice will be delivered, the ‘farmers’ have threatened more agitation which could lead to further violence. The Samyukt Kisan Morcha on Friday rejected the SIT and the inquiry commission set up by the Uttar Pradesh government to probe the Lakhimpur Kheri violence and threatened a nationwide ‘rail roko’ protest on October 18 if its demands are not met.
The ‘farmers’ body has been demanding that Union Minister of State (MoS) for Home Ajay Mishra be sacked and his son Ashish Mishra arrested in connection with the October 3 violence in Lakhimpur Kheri.
The SKM said that it rejects both the SIT and the Inquiry of Commission set up by the Uttar Pradesh government to investigate the Lakhimpur Kheri incident.
UP Police summons Ashish Mishra in Lakhimpur Kheri incident
It is pertinent to note here that the UP police have already asked Ashish Mishra to appear before it in the Lakhimpur Kheri case. It pasted a notice outside the resident of the Union Minister Ajay Kumar Mishra on October 7, asking his son Ashish Mishra to appear before the police.
The notice asked Mishra to appear at the crime branch office at the reserve police lines, Janpad Kheri at 10 am on October 8. The notice stated that Ashish Mishra has been booked under sections 147, 148, 149, 279, 338, 304A, 302, 120B of the Indian Penal Code in the case where eight lives were lost. He has been asked to personally appear before the police to produce material, written, oral and electronic evidence in his defence.
The Lakhimpur Kheri violence
A total of eight people were killed in the Lakhimpur Kheri violence, which has become a huge political issue, especially for the Congress party. According to reports, protesting farmers attacked a convoy of BJP workers, following which a car allegedly lost control and injured two farmers. This infuriated the protesters, who attacked the vehicle, set it on fire, and assaulted the passenger. Two BJP workers, a journalist, and the driver were killed as a result of this. Two more farmers are said to have died as a result of the violence.
