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Minister Ajay Mishra must resign, says Rahul Gandhi as Oppn escalates attacks
Congress leader Rahul Gandhi said minister of state Ajay Mishra ‘Teni’ attacked farmers in Lakhimpur Kheri and should resign. Both Houses were adjourned till 2pm
NEW DELHI: Proceedings in the Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha were adjourned till 2pm on Thursday amid loud Opposition protests demanding the removal of Union minister of state for home Ajay Mishra ‘Teni’ and a discussion on Uttar Pradesh’s special investigation team (SIT) report on the October 3 Lakhimpur Kheri violence.
Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, who had a question listed on Thursday, reiterated the opposition demands when the Wayanad MP’s name was called by speaker Om Birla to ask a starred question. “We should be allowed to speak about the murder that was committed in Lakhimpur Kheri, where there was an involvement of the minister and about which it has been said that it was a conspiracy. The minister who killed farmers should resign and be punished,” Gandhi said.
News agency Press Trust of India said Trinamool Congress members, who earlier stayed away from the opposition grouping, were also in the Well of the House raising slogans along with members of Congress and Left parties as soon as the speaker called for the Question Hour after paying tributes to 1971 war heroes and Group Captain Varun Singh, the only survivor of December 8 chopper crash, who breathed his last on Wednesday.
The speaker asked Gandhi to stick to the question related to the losses suffered by the micro, small and medium industry sector due to the Covid pandemic listed against his name.
“You are a senior member. You ask question number 262. You will be given adequate time to ask the question you have listed for Question Hour,” the speaker said.
Gandhi continued to speak on the minister. “Your minister here has attacked farmers. He should resign. His involvement is there. There has been a conspiracy. He should be punished for that. He should be removed from the government,” Gandhi said according to PTI, prompting the speaker to move to the next question before adjourning the House.
Opposition parties have escalated their campaign against the junior home minister after the SIT said his son Ashish Mishra and others mowed down farmers in Lakhimpur Kheri in a “deliberate, pre-planned conspiracy”. A UP court on Tuesday added stringent sections of Indian Penal Code (IPC) and Arms Act, including attempt to murder, to the FIR against 13 people accused of mowing down farmers in Lakhimpur Kheri, where eight people were killed.
On Wednesday, Union minister Piyush Goyal said the government is willing to consider the opposition request but they have to apologise for attacking lady marshals and the way they behaved with those who were protecting the security of this house,” he said, referring to unruly scenes in the last session of Parliament.
