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Lakhimpur Kheri incident: Congress silent protests in Karnataka, Goa today
The Congress party is organising these protests demanding arrest of all the accused in Lakhimpur Kheri case and sacking of Union minister of state of home Ajay Mishra ‘Teni’. Eight people, including four farmers, were killed in the violence at Uttar Pradesh's Lakhimpur Kheri on October 3.
The Congress party in Karnataka will hold a silent protest in Bengaluru demanding the arrest of all the accused in Lakhimpur Kheri violence. The party is also pushing for dismissal of Ajay Mishra from the post of Union Minister of State for Home Affairs.
"A vehicle belonging to the Minister and their family members has brutally assassinated farmers in Lakhimpur Kheri in Uttar Pradesh. No action has been taken against the Union Minister of State and the culprits responsible for this act. That's why we demand justice for the farmers", said Karnataka Congress president DK Shivakumar.
Along with Shivakumar, former chief minister Siddaramaiah along with other senior leaders of the Karnataka Congress are scheduled to participate in the protest.
Thw protest was announced on a day when Congress general secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra said in Varanasi that her party "will keep fighting till the minister resigns".
She also lashed out at Prime Minister Narendra Modi for not visiting Lakhimpur Kheri when he came to Lucknow for Azadi ka Amrit Mahotsav event. The Congress party has made Lakhimpur Kheri a major issue, especially in Uttar Pradesh where assembly elections are due next year.
A similar silent protest is also taking place in Goa, in which former Union minister P Chidambaram will participate. The "Maun Vrat" will begin at Goa's Azad Maidan at 11.30am and many Congress leaders will participate in that.
As a mark of protest, all the office bearers will use the black masks to mark the protest, according to a release issued by the party.
Eight people, including four farmers, were killed in the violence at Uttar Pradesh's Lakhimpur Kheri on October 3. The Uttar Pradesh Police have arrested Ashish Mishra, the son of Union minister Ajay Mishra on charges of murder.
Farmers allege that Ashish Mishra was in the lead car that ran over protesters who were returning from a demonstration in Tikunia village. The junior home minister and his son deny the allegation.
