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Lakhimpur Kheri violence: Yogi vows justice but says no arrests without evidence
Describing the October 3 violence, which claimed eight lives, as unfortunate, the Uttar Pradesh CM said that no action will be initiated under any pressure
Lucknow/Gorakhpur Amid growing pressure to arrest Union minister of state for home Ajay Kumar Mishra Teni’s son in the Lakhimpur Kheri violence case, Uttar Pradesh chief minister Yogi Adityanath asserted on Friday that justice would be done but no arrests will be made without sufficient evidence.
Describing the October 3 violence, which claimed eight lives, as unfortunate, the chief minister said that no action will be initiated under any pressure.
“There is no place for violence in democracy and when the law is giving guarantee to secure everyone, there is no need to take it into one’s hands, whosoever they be,” he told a news channel.
On allegations that efforts are being made to shield the minister’s son, Ashish Mishra, in the case, Adityanath said: “There will be no injustice with anyone. No one will be allowed to take the law in his hands but no action will be taken under any pressure.”
“We will not arrest anyone on the basis of allegations. But yes, if someone is guilty, he will also not be spared, irrespective of who he is,” he said.
The chief minister added that even “the Supreme Court has said that before arresting someone, we should have sufficient evidence against him”.
Teni’s son Ashish Mishra, along with others, were booked on murder and other charges after a vehicle belonging to the Union minister allegedly mowed down four farmers during a protest against the agricultural laws on Sunday. Two BJP workers and a driver were beaten to death allegedly by angry protesters, while a local journalist was also killed in the violence that ensued.
Farmers maintain that Ashish was in the lead car that ran over people. The minister and his son have denied the latter’s alleged involvement in the incident.
Earlier on Friday, Ashish failed to turn up at the crime branch office in Lakhimpur Kheri at 10 am for questioning, prompting the police to issue a fresh summon and warning of legal action if he does not appear again.
“We did this all over the state.. We take action against someone whenever evidence is found.. Be it a Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) MLA or an Opposition MLA... We never hesitated in taking action… In Lakhimpur also, the government is doing the same thing,” he said.
“A special investigation team (SIT) has been constituted by the government and a judicial commission has also been formed to probe the case… The arrests of those whose videos have come and involvement was confirmed have started,” he added.
Former Uttar Pradesh CM and Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav on Friday tweeted, “By doing the formality of sending summons to a named accused (of murder accused) by the UP government and administration has further increased public anger against the government.”
Earlier in the day, Yadav said the minister’s son should have been arrested.
Priyanka wields broom again
Meanwhile, Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi Vadra on Friday made a surprise visit to a Valmiki temple at Luv Kush Nagar in Lucknow and picked up a broom to clean it, hours after Adityanath’s dig at her act of sweeping of floor at a Sitapur guest house in detention.
In reply to a question during a TV interview, Adityanath said, “The people wanted to make them (the Congress leaders) worth doing that and that is what they have made them”.
