Lucknow: Congress general secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra on Saturday has written a letter to Prime Minister Narendra Modi urging him not to share the stage with Union minister Ajay Mishra, whose son has been arrested in connection with the violence in Lakhimpur Kheri. The Prime Minister is in Lucknow for the DGP conference.
In her letter, Gandhi wrote, "While addressing the nation on Friday, you said that with true mind and pious heart and keeping in mind the interests of the farmers an unprecedented decision to repeal the farm laws was taken. If that is true, then getting justice delivered to the families affected in the Lakhimpur Kheri violence should be your top priority."
"If you share the stage in the (DGPs) conference with the father of the accused (Ashish Mishra), then a clear message will go to the aggrieved families that you are still with those who are giving patronage to the murderers", Priyanka Gandhi said.
She also sought the removal of Mishra from his post over the Lakhimpur Kheri violence in which his son is accused. "If your intention about farmers is clear, then you should not share the stage with the Union Minister of State for Home and remove him from the post," Priyanka wrote.
"Ensuring justice for every citizen is not only the duty but also the moral responsibility of a prime minister," she said in the letter in Hindi.
"The entire country has been witness to the cruelty meted out to the 'annadatas' (food providers) in Lakhimpur Kheri. You know that the son of the Union minister of state for Home is the main accused in running a vehicle over the farmers. Owing to political pressure, the Uttar Pradesh government has from the beginning tried to stifle justice. The Supreme Court has remarked that it seems the government is trying to save a special accused person," she said.
It may be recalled that Ashish Mishra, son of Union minister Ajay Mishra, is among the 13 accused in the violence that claimed eight lives on October 3 under the Tikunia police station limits of Lakhimpur Kheri. He was arrested on October 9 and is in jail. All the 13 accused are in judicial custody.
Meanwhile, the Prime Minister reached Lucknow after visiting Mahoba and Jhansi on Friday, where he handed over the indigenously developed light combat helicopter (LCH), drones and electronic warfare suite to the three services as part of the Rashtra Raksha Samarpan Parv at a ceremony.
