Lakhimpur violence: Rahul Gandhi-led Congress delegation meets President Kovind

Lakhimpur Kheri incident: Rahul Gandhi said that the Congress delegation duly placed before the president its demands, which include the removal of Union minister Mishra and in his absence, a fair probe conducted by two sitting judges of the Supreme Court.

A Rahul Gandhi-led delegation of the Congress party on Wednesday met President Ram Nath Kovind at the Rashtrapati Bhavan in New Delhi and demanded the resignation of Union minister Ajay Mishra in connection with the violent incident at Uttar Pradesh’s Lakhimpur Kheri where eight people, including four farmers, were allegedly mowed down by the minister’s son Ashish Mishra.

A Rahul Gandhi-led delegation of the Congress party on Wednesday met President Ram Nath Kovind at the Rashtrapati Bhavan in New Delhi and demanded the resignation of Union minister Ajay Mishra in connection with the violent incident at Uttar Pradesh’s Lakhimpur Kheri where eight people, including four farmers, were allegedly mowed down by the minister’s son Ashish Mishra.

Speaking to reporters, Priyanka Gandhi Vadra said, “The President has given us the assurance that he will discuss the matter with the government today itself.”

Besides Rahul and Priyanka Gandhi, others who were part of the Congress delegation to the President on Wednesday include senior leaders such as Mallikarjun Kharge, Ghulam Nabi Azad, Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury, KC Venugopal, and AK Antony.

The delegation presented a detailed memorandum of facts and placed its demands before the President. The party, earlier on October 10, wrote to the Rashtrapati Bhavan seeking an appointment with President Kovind for a seven-member party delegation to meet him.

As many as eight people including four farmers had died in the violence that took place on October 3. Uttar Pradesh police have so far arrested three people including the son of Union minister of state Ajay Mishra’s son Ashish Mishra. Samyukta Kisan Morcha (SKM), a body of several farmer unions, had issued a statement regarding the incident. Meanwhile, refuting SKM’s allegations, the minister said his son was not present at the spot, adding that some miscreants merged with protesting farmers and pelted stones on the car, which lead to the ‘unfortunate incident’. Ashish Mishra also refuted SKM’s allegations and reiterated his absence at the spot where the incident took place.