LUCKNOW: BSP supremo Mayawati said on Thursday that there is hope for justice in the Lakhimpur violence case as the Supreme Court has intervened in the matter and sought a status report from the Uttar Pradesh government.
She said a delegation of the BSP led by party general secretary and Rajya Sabha MP SC Mishra will be meeting the families of the farmers killed in the October 3 violence in Lakhimpur Kheri.
"The hearing started by the Supreme Court in the Lakhimpur incident gave hope to the people for relief and proper justice, as the attitude of the BJP government in this matter appeared mostly biased," Mayawati said in a tweet in Hindi.
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Her remarks came a few hours after the Supreme Court on Thursday sought a status report by Friday from the Uttar Pradesh government on the accused named by the police in the FIR and whether they have been arrested.
The apex court has also sought details of the Special Investigation Team (SIT) and the judicial enquiry commission, reportedly set up by the state government.
In another tweet, the BSP chief asserted that there is palpable anger among people over the deaths of the farmers and a journalist.
Four farmers were mowed down by an SUV in Lakhimpur Kheri when a group agitating against the Centre's three new farm laws was holding a demonstration against the visit of UP Deputy Chief Minister Keshav Prasad Maurya on October 3.
Two BJP workers and a driver were beaten to death allegedly by the angry protesters, while a local journalist was also killed in the violence.
An FIR under section 302 of IPC (murder) has been registered against Union Minister of State for Home Ajay Mishra's son Ashish Mishra and others in the incident in Tikonia police station but no arrest has been made so far.
Farmer leaders have claimed that Ashish was in one of the cars that allegedly knocked down the protesters but the minister has denied the allegations.