UP government shielding Minister's son: Priyanka Gandhi on Lakhimpur Kheri
Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi Vadra said Sunday that the victims of the Lakhimpur Kheri incident have no hope for justice as the UP government is shielding the accused, the son of a Union Minister. She was referring to Ashish Mishra—Union Minister Ajay Mishra's son—whose vehicle allegedly crushed a group of protesting farmers last Sunday. Gandhi was speaking at a "Kisan Nyay" rally in Varanasi.
Gandhi slams UP Police over 'inviting' Mishra for 'talks'
After much delay, Ashish Mishra was arrested on Saturday after reportedly being questioned for over 12 hours. Mishra also skipped the first summons issued to him by the SIT probing the Lakhimpur Kheri incident. Taking a dig at the UP Police, Gandhi said, "In no country have I heard of a person, who has killed people, being 'invited' by police to talk to them."
Gandhi targets PM for calling protesters 'Andolanjivi'
Addressing the rally, Gandhi criticized Prime Minister Narendra Modi for calling the protesters "Andolanjivi." "PM Modi called the protesting Farmers 'Andolanjivi' and terrorists...Yogi ji called them...hooligans and tried to threaten them...The same minister (Ajay Mishra) said...he would make the protesting farmers fall in line within 2 minutes." She questioned why Modi couldn't meet the farmers to address their issues instead of touring the world.
'Only BJP leaders, billionaires safe under Modi regime'
Coming down heavily on the BJP, Gandhi said only "two types of people" are safe in today's India—"BJP leaders in power and their billionaire friends." Farmers have been protesting for over 300 days as "they know their income, land, and crops would go to billionaire friends of this government," she said. She also condemned Modi's Rs. 16,000 crore splurge on an aircraft for himself.
Varanasi rally a kick-start of Congress campaign for UP polls?
The Congress party's Varanasi rally sets the mood for its election campaign for the 2022 UP polls. Congress is reportedly expecting that it would regain its lost ground in UP after Gandhi's high-voltage campaign against the BJP over the Lakhimpur Kheri incident. The party had also mobilized people for the rally from eight districts including Mirzapur, Chandauli, Sonbhadra, Jaunpur, Azamgarh, Mau, and Ballia.
'Varanasi rally will send warning for BJP'
UP Congress chief Ajay Kumar Lallu said the Kisan Nyay rally would not only light a new path for the state, but also serve as a warning for the BJP. He said, "We will not rest in peace until the culprits of...Lakhimpur Kheri behind bars."
Gandhi demands probe by sitting SC or HC judge
Gandhi also opposed the UP government's appointment of a retired High Court judge to probe into the Lakhimpur Kheri violence. "In my view and that of the victims' families as well...the case should be probed by a sitting Supreme Court or High Court judge, and not the retired judge," she said. She also demanded Ajay Mishra's resignation to ensure an impartial probe.
