LUCKNOW: A day after SIT report stating that Lakhimpur Kheri violence was a pre-planned conspiracy instead of being a case of negligent and rash driving, Union minister of state Ajay Mishra Teni, whose son, Ashish, is the key accused in the case landed in another soup in his parliamentary constituency when he misbehaved with media persons and a related video went viral on social media on Wednesday.
In the video, the BJP leader is seen abusing the media and calling them “chor (thieves)". “Befkufi Ke Sawaal Mat Kiya Karo, Dimaag Kharab Hai Kya, Phone Band Kar De. Yehin Media Wale Choron ne Nirdosh Aadmi ko… sharam nahi aati hai (Don’t ask stupid questions. Are you mad? These media persons, thieves… they have no shame)," the minister said. In the end, he also lunges towards a journalist.
The video was shot when the minister had gone to Lakhimpur Kheri to inaugurate a child and maternity hospital. He also met his jailed son on Tuesday. In the video, the minister is seen getting furious after a journalist asked him a question about his jailed son Ashish Mishra in connection with the Lakhimpur Kheri incident of October 3. The question, as seen in the video, irked the minister and he started hurling abuses on media persons.
The reporter who was apparently abused by the minister has also issued a video message in which he said he asked the minister about the event that he inaugurate and then asked about the latest development in his son's case.
Responding to the question, the minister said it was a stupid question and abused, the reporter said in the video message which is also doing the rounds on social media.
In fact, the Lakhimpur Kheri incident is again in the spotlight with the SIT claiming that the incident was a pre-planned conspiracy. The conclusion of the SIT has led the opposition leaders including Rahul Gandhi, Priyanka Gandhi Vadra and SP chief Akhilesh Yadav to increase pressure on the Centre seeking dismissal of the MoS.
Several Congress leaders, including Rahul Gandhi, moved an adjournment motion in Parliament demanding Ajay Mishra's removal.
The special investigation team which is probing the Lakhimpur Kheri violence said the evidence gathered so far did not indicate that it was an act of negligence or carelessness. Based on their finding, they filed an application in the court to add new sections against the accused under charges of attempt to murder, murder and other serious sections. The court of Chief Judicial Magistrate accepted the request of SIT to add new sections against Ashish Mishra and 13 others named in the violence case.
It may be recalled that on October 3, four farmers were mowed down by an SUV Thar Mahindra being allegedly driven by Ashish Mishra when he ploughed into a crowd of protesting farmers under Tikunia police station in Lakhimpur Kheri. The farmers were protesting against the scheduled visit of UP deputy CM Keshav Maurya and also the MoS Ajay Mishra Teni who had organized an event to which Maurya was invited.
Following the death of four farmers, the furious crowd caught hold of two BJP workers and a driver of Ajay Mishra and lynched them in the spot on the fateful day.
Consequently, a case was registered against Ashish Mishra under the relevant sections. Ashish Mishra and his accomplices including Luvkush, Ashish Pandey, Ankit Das, Shekhar Bharti, Kale and Sumit Jaiswal, were taken into custody gradually after Ashish Mishra’s arrest on October 12. The SIT had sent all the accused to jail. Both the sessions and the Allahabad High Court have been denying bail to the accused since then.