With the Lakhimpur Kheri violence that left eight people including four farmers dead becoming the focal point in the politics of poll-bound Uttar Pradesh, the Congress on Friday said it will take out a “Kisan Nyay” rally in Varanasi on Sunday.
According to the poster of the rally to be addressed by Congress general secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra in the parliamentary constituency of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the party has given the slogan of “chalo Banaras”.
The poster also mentions the demands of the party, including the dismissal of Union minister of state for home Ajay Kumar Mishra, the arrest of the perpetrators behind the Lakhimpur Kheri violence that erupted during a farmers’ protest and also a repeal of three contentious agriculture laws of the Centre.
The Union minister’s son, Ashish Kumar Mishra, has been named in the FIR lodged in connection with Sunday’s violence and police have summoned him for recording his statement.
Priyanka Gandhi, who has been busy monitoring the party organisation in Uttar Pradesh and making it poll-ready, also led the attack of the Congress on the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in the wake of the Lakhimpur Kheri incident.
Soon after the news of the violence broke out, she had set out for Lakhimpur but was placed under detention at the PAC guest house in Sitapur since Monday morning. After her release on Wednesday, Priyanka Gandhi, along with her brother Rahul Gandhi and other Congress leaders, met the family members of the farmers killed in the incident and promised them all assistance.
Sunday’s rally will be held at the Jagatpur Inter College Ground in Varanasi.
Uttar Pradesh Congress chief Ajay Kumar Lallu has urged all party office-bearers to ensure that the rally is a big success, sources said.
