Addressing the Lakhimpur Kheri violence, the Supreme Court wondered about the actions of the UP police, or rather the inaction in bringing the culprits to justice.
After the apex court’s comments, on Saturday, after hours of questioning, Ashish Mishra, son of MoS Home Affairs Ajay Mishra, was taken into police custody.
A time for introspection for the BJP?
A week after the violent incidents that claimed eight lives in Lakhimpur Kheri, and despite the ongoing political storm, the BJP governments in state and centre did not seem inclined towards holding anyone in the party accountable.
Those who did pay the price were Varun Gandhi and his mother Maneka Gandhi, who were dropped out of the National Executive after seeking the arrest of the accused BJP leader.
What happened in Lakhimpur Kheri?
Violence erupted on October 3, after Central Minister Ajay Mishra’s convoy came face to face with the farmers who were protesting the BJP leader’s visit.
The farmers maintain that they were protesting the central minister’s visit because his statements slighted their protests against the central government’s new farm laws.
The protesting farmers accused those in the SUVs of running people over, while the MoS Home Affairs Ajay Mishra accused the protestors of pelting stones at the vehicles and inciting violence.
The Central Minister Ajay Mishra’s son Ashish Mishra is accused of running the farmers over, firing a weapon, and running away into the fields to make his escape.
An SUV was set on fire.
Four protestors and four members of the BJP have lost their lives in the violent incidents.
Political Repercussions
The opposition parties are already extending their support to those who are protesting the central government’s new farm laws.
Following the incidents of Lakhimpur Kheri, they upped their attack against the BJP.
While Punjab Congress Chief Navjot Singh Sidhu went on a fast at the house of Raman Kashyap, the scribe who died on October 3, Rahul Gandhi and his sister Priyanka met the families who lost their loved ones on that day.
Priyanka Gandhi is set to lead a ‘Kisan Nyay’ rally in Varanasi on Sunday, demanding justice for the victims of Lakhimpur Kheri violence and also for the repeal of the centre’s new farm laws.
The protesting farmers have called for ‘Rail Roko’ on October 18.