Will keep fighting till BJP minister resigns: Priyanka in Varanasi
VARANASI: Congress general secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra on Sunday said her party workers were not afraid of anyone and asserted, “we will keep fighting until the (Union) minister of state for home resigns”, in a reference to the Lakhimpur Kheri violence in which eight people, including four farmers, were killed on October 3.
The Uttar Pradesh police on Saturday arrested Ashish Mishra, son of junior home minister Ajay Kumar Mishra, on charges of murder in connection with the October 3 Lakhimpur Kheri violence, where a vehicle, reportedly owned by Ajay Kumar Mishra, mowed down protesters while they were returning from a demonstration in Tikunia village. Farmers allege that Ashish Mishra was in the lead car that ran over people. The junior home minister and his son deny the allegation.
Addressing her party’s Kisan Nyay Rally in Varanasi, she also lashed out at Prime Minister Narendra Modi and said he visited Lucknow for the Azadi Ki Amrit Mahotsav event to mark 75 years of Independence, but could not go to Lakhimpur Kheri to meet the families of the deceased farmers.
“You are celebrating freedom, but who gave freedom? Freedom has been given by the sons of farmers. What is the meaning of this festival?” she asked.
The Congress general secretary also said that she will not stop until she throws “this government” out of power in order to bring a positive change and development in Uttar Pradesh. The state assembly election is due early next year.
“The whole country has seen what happened in Lakhimpur Kheri. The son of the minister of state for home brutally trampled farmers under his vehicle. When I met the aggrieved families of the farmers, they told me that they don’t want money, they want justice,” she said.
Accusing the BJP government of protecting the son of the minister, she said: Not even a single person took a step to ensure the arrest of the minister of state’s son. Have you seen in any country or in this country that invitation was sent to the person, who trampled farmers, for interrogation? Such a thing never happened in the history of this country.”