BENGALURU: Condemning the recent violence in Lakhimpur Kheri in Uttar Pradesh, State Congress leaders held a ‘silent protest’ in Bengaluru on Monday, and demanded the dismissal of Union Minister of State for Home Affairs Ajay Kumar Mishra from the Union Cabinet.
Karnataka Pradesh Congress Committee president DK Shivakumar and former CM and Leader of Opposition in the Assembly Siddaramaiah, however, were not present at the demonstration that was led by senior leaders, including State Congress Working President Ramalinga Reddy, MLC BK Hariprasad, Indian Youth Congress president BV Srinivas, and State Youth Congress president Raksha Ramaiah in front of the party’s city unit office.
Prior to their protest, Reddy questioned the PM’s silence over the farmers’ stir and the issue of price rise. Srinivas also mentioned that Congress’ struggle will continue as they will raise these issues on all platforms. They also plan to hold a ‘Jail Bharo Andolan’ in the days to come, he informed, adding that neither the Congress nor its leaders -- Rahul and Priyanka Gandhi -- will ever be deterred by threats.
On Monday, senior Congress leaders staged protests across the country against the Lakhimpur Kheri incident. In Bengaluru, however, Siddaramaiah and Shivakumar, who had led the party’s protests over the Uttar Pradesh police action against Priyanka Gandhi while she was en route to meet the victims’ families, were absent. While Shivakumar was busy with a private event, sources close to Siddaramaiah termed it as a protest by the local leaders of the party.