New Delhi, Oct 10 : Amid the political row triggered by Lakhimpur Kheri violence, the Congress has sought an appointment with President Ram Nath Kovind for a seven-member party delegation led by Rahul Gandhi to present a detailed ‘memorandum of facts’.
In a letter dated October 9, the Congress requested the President of India to grant time for the delegation comprising Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi Vadra.
Other members of the delegation include senior party leaders A.K. Antony, Mallikarjun Kharge, Ghulam Nabi Azad, Adhir Ranjan Choudhury and party general secretary K.C. Venugopal.
“The shocking incident of broad day massacre of farmers in Lakhimpur Kheri, Uttar Pradesh has shaken the conscience of the entire nation. Even more tragic are the open warnings given by Union Minister of State for Home Affairs, Ajay Mishra Teni and consequent trampling of farmers under a Thar Jeep owned by the Minister and his family”, the letter read.
Farmers, who were eye witnesses have openly stated that they were run over by vehicle being driven by the son of the Union Minister of State for Home Affairs, the letter alleged.
Despite all round protests and intervention of the Supreme Court, no decisive action has been taken either against the guilty or against the Minister, it said.
Ashish Mishra, son of Minister of State for Home Ajay Kumar Mishra, has been named in the FIR lodged by the Uttar Pradesh Police in the violence at Tikunia last Sunday (October 3) for allegedly mowing down farmers who were going to protest against Uttar Pradesh Deputy Chief Minister Keshav Prasad Maurya’s visit to the Union Minister’s ancestral village for a function.
However, the Minister and his son have categorically denied any involvement in this incident and he claimed that his son was not present at the site of the incident.
A total of nine persons, including a local journalist and four farmers, were killed in the incident. (IANS)