Lakhimpur Kheri incident: Sharad Pawar demands MoS Ajay Mishra resignation

Demanding resignation of Union Minister of State (MoS) Ajay Kumar Mishra over Lakhimpur Kheri incident, Nationalist Congress Party chief, Sharad Pawar on Wednesday alleged that farmers were crushed to death in violence on October 3.

Addressing the press conference in Mumbai, Pawar said, "Farmers were crushed to death in Lakhimpur. Farmers are saying that son of Union Minister of State Ajay Mishra, Ashish Mishra was present on the crime scene. After Supreme Court's observation, he was arrested. The ruling party should take a stand. Neither the Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath nor MoS Home Mishra can escape. MoS Home Ajay Mishra should resign."

Meanwhile, a five-member Congress delegation on Wednesday met President Ram Nath Kovind at Rashtrapati Bhawan and submitted a memorandum to him demanding dismissing of Union Minister of State for Home Affairs Ajay Mishra Teni and an independent judicial investigation by a Commission comprising of two sitting judges of the Supreme Court of India or the High Court.

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 Teni's son Ashish Mishra.

Samyukta Kisan Morcha (SKM), a body of several farmer unions, had issued a statement regarding the incident and alleged that one of the four farmers was shot dead by Ashish Mishra, while the others had been allegedly run over by the vehicles of his convoy.

Refuting SKM's allegations, MoS Teni said that 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.

( With inputs from ANI )