Priyanka Gandhi urges PM not to share stage with MoS Home Ajay Mishra during DGPs' conference

A day after Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced the repeal of the farm laws, Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi Vadra on Saturday urged him not to share the stage with Union Minister of State for Home Ajay Mishra during the DGPs conference here keeping in mind farmers interest.She also sought the removal of Mishra from his post over the Lakhimpur Kheri violence in which his son is an accused.

A day after Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced the repeal of the farm laws, Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi Vadra on Saturday urged him not to share the stage with Union Minister of State for Home Ajay Mishra during the DGPs conference here keeping in mind farmers' interest.

She also sought the removal of Mishra from his post over the Lakhimpur Kheri violence in which his son is an accused. Priyanka Gandhi made the appeal to the prime minister through a letter that she read out in front of reporters hours before the commencement of the DGPs' conference.

''While addressing the nation on Friday, you said that with true mind and pious heart and keeping in mind the interests of the farmers an unprecedented decision to repeal the farm laws was taken.

''If that is true, then getting justice delivered to the families affected in the Lakhimpur Kheri violence should be your top priority,'' the Congress general secretary said.

She pointed out that Ajay Mishra 'Teni' is still a member of Modi's council of ministers. Home Minister Amit Shah and Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath have shared the stage with Mishra, she pointed out.

''If you share the stage in the (DGPs) conference with the father of the accused (Ashish Mishra), then a clear message will go to the aggrieved families that you are still with those who are giving patronage to the murderers'', Priyanka Gandhi said.

She further said, ''If your intention about farmers is clear, then you should not share the stage with the Union Minister of State for Home and remove him from the post.'' The Congress leader also urged that cases registered against the farmers in the country for staging protests against the agri laws be withdrawn and financial assistance be given to the families of all those who died during the agitation.

''Ensuring justice for every citizen is not only the duty but also the moral responsibility of a prime minister,'' she said in the letter in Hindi.

Referring to Ashish Mishra, the son of Union minister Ajay Mishra, Priyanka Gandhi said, ''The entire country has been witness to the cruelty meted out to the 'annadatas' (food providers) in Lakhimpur Kheri. You know that the son of the Union minister of state for Home is the main accused in running a vehicle over the farmers.'' ''Owing to political pressure, the Uttar Pradesh government has from the beginning tried to stifle justice. The Supreme Court has remarked that it seems the government is trying to save a special accused person,'' she said.

Violence had erupted in Lakhimpur Kheri on October 3 when farmers were protesting the visit of Uttar Pradesh Deputy Chief Minister Keshav Prasad Maurya's visit to Mishra's place. Four agitating farmers were run over by a vehicle while four others, including a journalist, two BJP workers were also killed in the violence that ensued.

Priyanka Gandhi also said that she had met the family members of the deceased farmers, and they are in tremendous pain.

''The families want justice. With Mishra being the Union minister of state for Home, they do not have any hope of getting justice,'' she said.

(This story has not been edited by Devdiscourse staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)