A delegation of Congress leaders, including former party president Rahul Gandhi, on Wednesday, met President Ram Nath Kovind demanding the immediate dismissal of Minister of State for Home Ajay Kumar Mishra over the Lakhimpur Kheri violence.
The delegation of senior Congress leaders also presented a memorandum of facts about the Lakhimpur Kheri incident to the President.
After the meeting, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi said that the Congress delegation duly placed before the president its demands, which include the removal of Union minister Mishra and in his absence, a fair probe conducted by two sitting judges of the Supreme Court.
"We told the President that the accused's father who is MoS Home, should be removed from the post as a fair probe is not possible in his presence. Likewise, we also demanded inquiry be done by two sitting judges of Supreme Court," Rahul Gandhi said.
Speaking to reporters, Priyanka Gandhi Vadra said: "President has given us the assurance that he will discuss the matter with the government today itself."
Besides Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, others who were part of the Congress delegation to meet President Ram Nath Kovind on Wednesday were Mallikarjun Kharge, Ghulam Nabi Azad, and AK Antony.
Amid the political row triggered by Lakhimpur Kheri violence, the Congress on Sunday had sought an appointment with President Ram Nath Kovind for a seven-member party delegation led by Rahul Gandhi to present a detailed 'memorandum of facts'.
"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 (MoS) for Home Affairs Ajay Mishra Teni consequent trampling of farmers under a Thar Jeep owned by the Minister and his family," Congress said 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 (MoS) 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.
As many as eight people including four farmers had died in the violence that took place on October 3.
The Congress has been demanding the immediate dismissal of the Union Minister of State for Home whose son Ashish has been named in the FIR and is accused of mowing down farmers in Lakhimpur Kheri on October 3, and strict action against the accused in the killing of farmers. Uttar Pradesh police have so far arrested three people including the son of Union Minister of State Ajay Mishra Teni's son Ashish Mishra.
(With inputs from ANI and PTI)
