Congress' Sidhu wants Union Min's son booked for murder over Lakhimpur Kheri incident

The Congress launched an attack on the Yogi Adityanath-led BJP government in Uttar Pradesh over the violence which erupted in Lakhimpur Kheri after two SUVs ran over farmers, resulting in the death of the protestors. The grand only party has demanded a judicial investigation and strict action against the guilty.

Reacting to the Lakhimpur Kheri incident, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi claimed that the sacrifice of farmers would not go in vain. In a tweet in Hindi, he said, "Those who remain silent even after seeing this inhuman massacre are already dead. But we will not let this sacrifice go in vain -- Long live Kisan Satyagraha."

Violence broke out after two vehicles alleged ran over some farmers who were protesting against Uttar Pradesh Deputy CM Keshav Prasad Maurya's visit to Banbirpur, the native place of Union Minister of State Ajay Mishra. 

'No one is above the law'

Former Punjab Congress president Navjot Singh Sidhu opined that the case should be registered for the murder of farmers. "No one is above the law … FIR under sec 302 IPC must be registered against Union Minister’s son for the murder of innocent farmers, he should be immediately arrested and put behind the bars for this barbaric act!!," he said.

Taking to Twitter, Priyanka Gandhi Vadra asked whether farmers had any right to live. "How much does BJP hate the farmers of the country? Don't they have the right to live? If they raise their voice, they will be shot or crushed under a car. Enough. This is a country of farmers not the fiefdom of BJP's brutal ideology," she said.

Angry anti-farmers protesters allegedly set two SUVs, which ran over farmers, on fire. Reportedly, the passengers were also lynched. The farmers had gathered to demonstrate against Maurya's visit to Banbirpur. Congress spokesperson Randeep Surjewala alleged that the Modi government had become thirsty for the blood of farmers. Terming the incident unfortunate, party spokesperson Supriya Shrinate demanded a judicial probe.

BJP workers beaten to death, says Union Minister Ajay Misha

Union minister Ajay Kumar Mishra claimed that two BJP workers and a driver were beaten to death by some protesting farmers. He also claimed that his son was not present at the incident spot. "Stones pelted on BJP workers' car which overturned; 2 persons came under it and died; BJP workers lynched after this," he said.

(With PTI inputs)