Opposition MPs from Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha on Tuesday took out a joint march demanding the removal of Union Minister Ajay Mishra for his reported links in the Lakhimpur Kheri killings, with former Congress president Rahul Gandhi saying that they will not spare the culprit and will not rest until he is sent to jail.
Besides Rahul, Leader of Opposition in Rajya Sabha Mallikarjun Kharge, Congress Leader in Lok Sabha Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury, Trinamool Congress’ Dola Sen, CPI(M)’s Elamaram Kareem, CPI’s Binoy Viswam, Shiv Sena’s Sanjay Raut and Priyanka Chaturvedi, RSP’ NK Premachandran among others marched from the Gandhi Statue in Parliament to Vijay Chowk.
Inside both the Houses too, the Opposition MPs demanded the sacking of Mishra, whose son is in jail in connection with the case and a latest Special Investigation Team report has said that the mowing down of farmers, which killed four farmers and a journalist, was allegedly part of a conspiracy.
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Addressing the media, Rahul said the entire opposition in one voice was raising its demand for the sacking of the Minister.
Referring to the SIT report, he said, "we will not spare him (Ajay Mishra) and continue our struggle till he is sent to jail. The prime minister has not done anything on this. I know once I finish speaking there will be questions on some other issue to divert attention. Neither the media nor the government is doing its job."
"The Prime Minister on the one hand apologises to farmers, but on the other hand he keeps the minister who is involved in the Lakhimpur Kheri incident in the Council of Ministers. We will not accept what is being done against farmers," he said.
When a reporter sought his reaction on his tweet on lynching, Rahul shot back, “don’t do the bidding for the government.”
Earlier in the morning, Kharge and Congress MP Deepinder Singh Hooda gave adjournment notices to suspend the business in Rajya Sabha to discuss the Lakhimpur Kheri issue.
"I have given a suspension of business/notice under Rule 267 to discuss the recent SIT report on the manslaughter of Lakhimpur. We demand that MoS Ajay Mishra be immediately removed from his position to ensure a free and fair trial," Kharge said on Twitter.
"In order to ensure a free and fair trial of the murder case of innocent farmers, the Mos, who is father of the accused, must immediately be removed from his position," Kharge said in his adjournment notice under Rule 267.
In Lok Sabha, Congress MP Manickam Tagore gave an adjournment notice on the same issue.