New Delhi, Oct 3 (UNI) Congress leaders on Monday expressed solidarity with the victims of the Lakhimpur Kheri incident that happened a year ago, and accused the BJP government of shielding the guilty.
Party leader Rahul Gandhi also said the Bharat Jodo Yatra is inspired by the farmers' protests.
"A year passed, but the martyr farmers of Lakhimpur Kheri did not get justice. The reason is the same - as always the BJP is protecting the criminals. When we decided to undertake the Bharat Jodo Yatra, the farmers movement was a big inspiration for us. This struggle will not end without providing justice to the food donors," Rahul Gandhi said in a tweet.
Party General Secretary Priyanka Gandhi said the attack revealed the true face of the BJP.
"The Lakhimpur farmer massacre exposed the anti-farmer face of the BJP government. Even after a year, the minister continues to hold the post due to the conservation of power. The trial has been sluggish and the families of the victims are disappointed. Despite the struggle of the farmers, neither they got the law of MSP nor justice for the martyr farmers," Priyanka Gandhi said.
Congress General Secretary Communication Jairam Ramesh meanwhile said the Congress supported the demands of the Samyukt Kisan Mocha adding that it was among the issues in focus in the Bharat Jodo Yatra.
"Today marks one year of the Lakhimpur massacre. The Minister whose son murdered the protesting farmers is still continuing in his post," Ramesh said in a tweet in Hindi.
He added that the Bharat Jodo Yatra is also a movement demanding justice for farmers, and guarantee of Minimum Support Price.
"We support the demands of the Samyukt Kisan Morcha," he said.
Four farmers and a journalist were killed in Lakhimpur Kheri on October 3 last year, after a convoy of cars allegedly belonging to union minister Ajay Mishra, ran over a group of farmers protesting against the Farm laws.
Three people from the convoy were killed in mob lynching thereafter. Protesters torched a Thar and Fortuner cars involved in the incident, while the third car in the convoy, a Scorpio, fled the site.
According to eyewitnesses, Ajay Mishra's son Ashish was seen in one of the cars. Ashish was subsequently arrested in the case.
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