Lakhimpur Kheri violence news: BJP obstructing justice by not sacking minister Ajay Mishra, says Rahul Gandhi

Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel slammed Uttar Pradesh government for stopping the Opposition leaders to visit Lakhimpur Kheri.

The second FIR lodged over the Lakhimpur Kheri violence claims "bad elements" among farm law protesters attacked BJP workers who were in an SUV but makes no reference to the mowing down of farmers or presence of Union minister Ajay Mishra's son Ashish in the car.

The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) MP Varun Gandhi on Sunday said an attempt was being made to turn Lakhimpur Kheri into a Hindu vs Sikh battle. The BJP leader slammed those trying to weave a communal narrative.

Senior Congress leader and former Union minister Salman Khurshid on Sunday termed the October 3 violence in Lakhimpur Kheri as "tragic" and said this was not an ordinary crime as it was committed because of a "particular callous attitude" towards a democratic protest. He also said that "one should not see an opportunity in this tragedy".

Former Chief Minister of Haryana Bhupinder Singh Hooda on Sunday said a fair investigation in the Lakhimpur Kheri violence case cannot happen till the time the Minister of State (MoS) Ajay Mishra Teni is holding a portfolio. Speaking to ANI Hooda said, "Fair enquiry can't happen properly if MoS Teni is still holding the portfolio." The Congress leader further said that the arrest of Teni's son, Ashish Mishra should have been made earlier, since his name was mentioned in the FIR.

Slamming the delay in the arrest of Ashish Mishra, accused of killing farmers in Lakhimpur Kheri, Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) National Spokesperson Sudhindra Bhadoria on Sunday said that the arrest in the case was only made after the intervention of the Supreme Court. Bhadoria said that if the Bahujan Samaj Party had a government in Uttar Pradesh, there would have been no such delay and that today 'goonda raj' is prevailing under the rule of the Bharatiya Janata Party.

In a bid to continue piling pressure on BJP over the Lakhimpur Kheri killings, Congress will on Monday hold ‘maun vrat (vow of silence)’ protest across the country to demand the sacking of junior home minister Ajay Mishra Teni. Senior Congress leaders and workers will protest in silence outside central government offices from 10am to 1pm on Monday. Instructions have gone from AICC general secretary KC Venugopal to make the protest a big success. Lashing out at the Centre for “inaction”, All India Congress Committee spokesman Pawan Khera said, “It is clear that the might of BJP governments runs only on the poor and the helpless.

Union Minister of Rural Development and Panchayati Raj Giriraj Singh on Saturday said that Congress MP Rahul Gandhi's visit to Lakhimpur Kheri is merely an instance of 'political tourism'. As many as eight people including four farmers died in the Lakhimpur Kheri violence on October 3.

State skill development minister Nawab Malik called upon shopkeepers and the public to support the Maharashtra Bandh called on Monday by the MVA government against the violence at Lakhimpur Kheri in Uttar Pradesh. He said that essential services would not be affected.

The Lakhimpur Kheri police on Saturday detained the driver of Ankit Das, the nephew of former Congress MP late Akhilesh Das, in connection with the death of four farmers who were mowed down by a vehicle belonging to Ashish Mishra, son of Union minister of state for home Ajay Mishra Teni. The detained driver was reportedly driving another vehicle in the convoy which was just behind Ashish Mishra’s SUV. The driver is also accused of helping Ankit Das, who was also present in the vehicle, escape from the scene of crime.