Congress seeks appointment with President, 7-member delegation to raise Lakhimpur violence

The Congress party on Sunday sought an urgent appointment with President Ram Nath Kovind over the Lakhimpur violence, saying that they wanted to present to him a "memorandum of facts" over the incident. In a letter to President Kovind, Congress raised the 'massacre' of the farmers in UP, holding Union Mos Home Ajay Mishra's son responsible for the violence which left 8 people dead.

The party has alleged that despite protests, and the intervention of the Supreme Court, no 'decisive action' had been taken against the accused by the UP administration. Highlighting the alleged inaction, the grand-old party has requested the President's time to meet the 7-member delegation led by ex-party chief Rahul Gandhi. 

The letter by INC read, "The shocking incident of broad day massacre of farmers in Lakhimpur Kheri, Uttar Pradesh has shaken the conscience of the entire nation. Even more tragic are the open warnings given by the Union Minister of State for Home Affairs, Shri Ajay Mishra Teni, and the consequent trampling of farmers under a Thar jeep owned by the Minister and his family. Farmers who were eyewitnesses have openly stated that they were run over by vehicle being driven by the son of the Union Minister of State for Home Affairs. Despite all-round protests and intervention of the Supreme Court, no decisive action has been taken either against the guilty or against the Minister."

"A delegation of the Congress party seeks an appointment with your good self on priority at the earliest to present a detailed memorandum of facts. The delegation shall comprise of the following- Rahul Gandhi, A.K Antony, Mallikarjun Kharge, Ghulam Nabi Azad, Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, K.C Venugopal, and Adhir Ranjan Choudhary," it added.

The Congress party has been observing a series of protests over the Lakhimpur violence incident which began with the visit of the party's General Secretary (UP) Priyanka Gandhi Vadra to the region. A massive controversy broke out over her detention by the UP police when she attempted to visit the area, after which she along with Rahul Gandhi, CM Bhupesh Baghel, and CM Charanjit Singh Channi were allowed to interact with family members of the victims. Today, all its state and UT chiefs are observing a 'maun vrat' as a mark of protest.