Cong seeks Prez appointment to submit memorandum on Lakhimpur violence

The Congress on Sunday wrote to the Rashtrapati Bhavan seeking an appointment with President Ram Nath Kovind for a 7-member party delegation led by Rahul Gandhi to meet him and present a detailed memorandum of facts in connection with the Lakhimpur Kheri incident that claimed the lives of eight people earlier this month.

According to the letter, the Congress delegation will consist of Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, A K Antony, Mallikarjun Kharge, K C Venugopal, Ghulam Nabi Azad, and Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury besides Rahul Gandhi who will lead the delegation.

"The shocking incident of broad day massacre of farmers in Lakhimpur Khiri in 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 Ajay Mishra Teni consequent trampling of farmers under a Thar Jeep owned by the minister and his family," said the Congress in its letter.

"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-around protests and intervention of the Supreme Court, no decisive action has been taken either against the guilty or against the Minister," read the letter further.

"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," it added.

As many as eight people including four farmers died in the Lakhimpur Kheri incident on October 3.

The accused Ashish Mishra was arrested last night, after 12 hours of interrogation by the crime branch of the Uttar Pradesh police, in connection with the Lakhimpur Kheri incident case and was later sent to judicial custody.

Two accused identified as Luvkush and Ashish Pandey were arrested earlier in connection with the incident.

Earlier, Congress delegation including Rahul Gandhi and party general secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra met the kin of deceased farmer Lovpreet Singh in Lakhimpur Kheri district in Uttar Pradesh on Wednesday.