MOS Mishra briefs Shah on UP violence
NEW DELHI: Even as the opposition kept up their chorus seeking the resignation of the Union minister of state for home affairs, Ajay Kumar Mishra over Sunday’s violence at Lakhimpur Kheri that left eight dead, he met home minister Amit Shah at latter’s residence to brief him about the incident, people familiar with the development said.
The meeting came shortly after a a Bureau of Police Research and Development (BPRD) event on Thursday where he was chief guest, was put on hold, without any reason being given.
The minister also attended office at North Block for almost half an hour, the first time he has done so since the Sunday violence.
Opposition parties including the Congress have demanded that Mishra be sacked as his son Ashish Mishra is among the people accused of running over farmers in Lakhimpur Kheri on Sunday. The UP police has already registered a case of murder against the son.
During his 30-minute long meeting with Shah, Mishra is learnt to have given his version of events.
Over the last three days, Mishra has repeatedly defended himself and his son, saying they were not present at the spot and that it was his driver who was driving the SUV.
Eight people, including four farmers and a local journalist Raman Kashyap, died on Sunday in violence that broke out after at least one car from a convoy of three hit protesting farmers in Lakhimpur Kheri, prompting an angry crowd to burn two vehicles and widen their agitation. Farmers have alleged the vehicles belonged to the Union minister of state and his son Ashish Mishra. The minister and his son have denied involvement. On Monday, the state police booked Teni, his son Ashish Mishra and others on murder and other charges based on a complaint lodged by farmers in connection with the incident. No arrest has been made so far.
BPRD’S two-day program , “7th national conference of heads of prisons of all states/ union territories”, was set to begin at the agency’s HQ in Mahipalpur.
However, a BPRD spokesperson said that the October 7 program is ”on hold”, without giving any specific reasons. BPRD didn’t respond to a query if the event has been cancelled.
The other junior minister in MHA, Nityanand Rai was supposed to attend its valedictory session on Friday.