AURAIYA/KANNAUJ: Samajwadi Party president Akhilesh Yadav on Wednesday condemned the state government over grant of bail to Union minister Ajay Mishra's son in Lakhimpur case, saying he would ensure that the culprit and his protectors go to prison when he comes to power.
"The minister's son who trampled farmers has got bail from court. The government did not pursue the case as it should have been. SP assures you all that our government is coming and when it does, the case will be pursued in such a manner that not only the one who took the life of farmers will go to jail but also those patronising them," Yadav said addressing an election meeting here.
Union Minister of State for Home Ajay Mishra's son Ashish Mishra is an accused in the Lakhimpur Kheri incident which had left eight people, including four farmers, dead.
Mishra was recently granted bail and released from Lakhimpur Kheri jail after his arrest in October last year.
Faced with continuous attack on the law and order situation during his government, Yadav said those who want to take law in their hands need not vote for his party in the coming elections.
He alleged that Yogi Adityanath is the only chief minister in the country who has withdrawn cases lodged by himself.
"'Baba ji' (Adityanath) is levelling allegations the most but see the work of his government too. Was a trader not beaten by police leaving him dead?" Yadav said referring to the incident wherein a 36-year-old businessman from Kanpur had died mysteriously inside a hotel room in Gorakhpur following a police raid.
"There would not have been a Lakhimpur-like incident in a world where a peaceful 'dharna' by farmers was going on and a 'Jeep' (car) comes and tramples them," he added.
Addressing another rally in Kannauj's Tirwa area, Yadav said conspiracies are being hatched by the BJP to defame the city.
Attacking IPS officer Asim Arun, who took voluntary retirement to contest from Kannauj, without taking his name, Yadav said, "Those who extorted and looted in their entire life have shed their (police) uniform and are contesting polls."
Seeking votes in return for creating a "new UP", he said, if SP comes to power, all vacant posts in the state police will be filled and additional posts too will be created.
The SP president, who has already promised implementation of the old pension scheme for government employees, also tried to woo the unemployed youth with a promise to relax the age limit for government jobs.
"Due to coronavirus, many people have crossed the age limit for getting jobs. If we have to give age relaxation, then Samajwadis will also work in this direction," he said.
Yadav claimed that BJP workers have gone "numb" due to voting pattern so far in the ongoing assembly elections.
Auraiya and Kannauj will go to poll on February 20 in the third phase of polling.
Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi Vadra on Wednesday hit out at Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath for sharing stage with Union minister Ajay Mishra Teni, whose son is a key accused in the Lakhimpur Kheri violence.
Addressing an election campaign in Kanpur, which goes to polls on February 20, the Congress general secretary and its Uttar Pradesh in-charge slammed the BJP-led Centre and the state government for releasing Ashish Mishra, the minister's son, on bail.
Mishra, the accused in the October 3, 2021 violence in Lakhimpur Kheri, wherein eight people -- four farmers, two BJP workers and a journalist -- were killed, walked out of jail on Tuesday.
There has been a demand among opposition parties and farmers groups for sacking of Ajay Mishra Teni, the Union Minister of State for Home Affairs, ever since the infamous incident in his native district of Lakhimpur Kheri.
Priyanka Gandhi, campaigning for Congress' Govind Nagar candidate Karishma Thakur, also hit out at the BJP over a host of issues, including inflation, unemployment, women safety and farmers trouble.
"The farmers held a protest, but they were mowed down. The minister's son came in his jeep and mowed down six farmers in front of thousands of people. But what did the government do? The PM and the CM share stage with that minister even today and have released their son on bail," she said.
"I have met the families of the farmers who have died. I want to ask who is going to look after their families. I want to ask you (people) why are you asleep, what is the government giving you? They are making you dependent on a sack of ration and you are not waking up," she added.
The Congress leader mentioned the number of farmers killed in the Lakhimpur Kheri incident as eight.
The actual number of farmers mowed down by the SUV was four.
She further said serving people is the highest 'dharma' (duty) for any politician.
"Whether Hinduism, Islam, Sikhism, Jainism or Buddhism, all religions have preached that service to the people is the highest form of 'dharma'," she added.
During her address, the Congress leader also hit out at the government for its economic policies, which she said have badly impacted the business community, among others.
In Kanpur, Gandhi held roadshows in Kidwai Nagar area, Cantt, Arya Nagar and Sisamau constituencies where she was accompanied by former Union minister Shriprakash Jaiswal.
Congress candidates, including Ajay Kapoor, Neha Tiwari, Sohil Ansari and Suhail Ahmad, also accompanied Gandhi during the roadshow of about four kilometres that took over 90 minutes.
Assembly elections in the state are being held in seven phases.
The results will be announced on March 10.
Priyanka on Wednesday said her family members have died serving the nation but they were being ridiculed by the BJP every day.
The Congress general secretary and UP in-charge lashed out at the ruling BJP while addressing an election rally in Kanpur's Govind Nagar, where assembly polls are scheduled on February 20.
Priyanka's father Rajiv Gandhi and grandmother Indira Gandhi, both former prime ministers of the country, were assassinated while in office.
Indira Gandhi died in 1984 while Rajiv Gandhi was killed in a suicide bombing in 1991.
"Members of my family have laid down their lives for this country and we never mention this or highlight this point. But today we need to say this. They died while serving and now they are being ridiculed every day because 'they' do not know anything about shahadat (martyrdom)," Priyanka Gandhi said without naming the BJP.
"They know nothing, they just make hollow claims. They do not understand the feeling when a heart truly beats for the country. For them, it all begins and ends with the elections. They visit UP, Punjab, Goa only during elections but when there is no election, they travel to the US, Pakistan, Canada and all foreign countries," she alleged.
She also slammed those who were asking what the Congress did during the past 70 years for the country.
"The prime minister has two aircraft which alone cost Rs 16,000 crore. They have sold all PSUs for the sake of their corporate friends and plans are underway to sell the remaining PSUs, ports, airports and roads but they ask what did the Congress make? What is it that you are selling now," Priyanka Gandhi said.
Assembly polls in UP are being held in seven phases this time.
Election results would be declared on March 10.