Lucknow, Oct 11 (PTI) Congress leaders led by party general secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra staged a silent protest here on Monday, demanding the dismissal of Union minister Ajay Mishra in connection with the Lakhimpur Kheri violence and justice for the bereaved families.
The minister’s son Ashish Mishra was arrested on Saturday by the Uttar Pradesh Police in connection with the October 3 violence, in which eight people, including four farmers, were killed.
Congressmen sat on a “maun vrat” in front of the statue of Mahatma Gandhi at the GPO park, demanding the dismissal of the Union minister and justice for the families of the dead farmers, party spokesman Ashok Singh said.
Congress workers and leaders, including state unit president Ajay Kumar Lallu, Legislature Party leader Aradhana Mishra, party’s leader in the Legislative Council, Dipak Singh, also converged on the park here and were later joined by Priyanka, he said.
The party has demanded the dismissal of the minister for ensuring a free and fair investigation into the case.
Ashok Singh said after the “maun vrat”, Priyanka said farmers holding a peaceful protest against the Centre’s three “black laws” in Lakhimpur Kheri were brutally murdered by “vehicles of the Union Minister of State for Home”.
She asked with the Union Minister of State for Home remaining on his post, how could the victim families get justice.
The Congress general secretary also said this “satyagraha” will continue till justice is done, Ashok Singh said.
Addressing a rally in Varanasi on Sunday, Priyanka had said, “Congress workers do not fear anyone even if you put them in jails or beat them up. We will continue to fight till the Union minister resigns. Our party has fought for the country’s Independence. No one can silence us.”
UP minister Siddharth Nath Singh, however, said the law will take its own course and will not be influenced by any kind of pressure.
Singh said if the Congress leaders want to sit on a “maun vrat” or hold protests, it is their democratic right.
In an apparent jibe at former PM Manmohan Singh, the UP government spokesperson said a prime minister had been on “maun vrat” for 10 years.
Why were protests not held in Rajasthan and Chhattisgarh where atrocities are allegedly being committed against the Dalits and farmers, Singh asked.
