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As you eat today: Congress ups demand for Lakhimpur justice; Rahul Gandhi has an appeal
The main accused in the case, Union minister Ajay Mishra Teni's son Ashish Mishra appeared before the investigation team on Saturday, after staying away from the interrogation on Friday.
The Congress on Saturday organised protests demanding justice for the victims of the Lakhimpur violence while Congress leader Rahul Gandhi appealed to everyone to remember the farmers who are giving their blood and sweat to feed the country -- while eating today. Four farmers were killed in the Lakhimpur Kheri violence as Union minister Ajay Mishra Teni's car allegedly ran over them while four others were killed in the violence that followed, on last Sunday, in Uttar Pradesh's Lakhimpur Kheri.
Indian Youth Congress workers held demonstrations over the violence in New Delhi and clashed with police. The main accused in the case, Union minister Ajay Mishra Teni's son Ashish Mishra appeared before the investigation team on Saturday, after staying away from the interrogation on Friday.
On social media, the Congress made #SpeakUpForKisanNyay trending with Congress leaders issuing video statements condemning the Lakhimpur violence and demanding immediate action against the culprit and the resignation of the Union minister.
Early this week, Congress leaders Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi went to Lakhimpur Kheri and met the families of the victims.
Punjab Congress chief Navjot Sidhu is now in Lakhimpur and was on a hunger strike since last night in demand for justice. "Broke my fast with the family of Raman Kashyap...After Ashish Mishra surrenders to join investigations. The almighty gave me the strength to fight for a just cause. Path of truth will always triumph!" Sidhu tweeted on Saturday.
Ahead of the UP election, the Lakhimpur Kheri violence is a major political issue for the Congress, though political strategist Prashant Kishor termed this as a quick fix attempt for a spontaneous revival of the party. "Unfortunately there are no quick-fix solutions to the deep-rooted problems and structural weakness of GOP," Prashant Kishor said.
