Union minister Mishra seeks to settle case, farmers refuse

Ajay Mishra Teni

Farmers in Lakhimpur Kheri have turned down the olive branch extended to them by Union minister Ajay Mishra Teni, whose son, Ashish, is the main accused in the October 3 incident in which four farmers were mowed down by his car.

The minister had called the farmers for a meeting at his residence on Tuesday to address problems related to paddy procurement and also to settle the October 3 violence case. Leaders of the Sikh community held an emergency meeting at a gurdwara and asked farmers of the area to skip the meeting.

Jasbir Singh Virk, president of Bhartiya Sikh Sangthan, said, "He may try to lure our farmers by offering a higher price for their paddy, but he should remember that he cannot compensate for the lives lost in the October 3 incident."

The family of Lovepreet, who was mowed down by a vehicle belonging to the minister, said, "The minister had sent an invitation through his men for a meeting to settle the case and arrive at a compromise... but we refused."

"No action has been taken against the minister yet. We have nothing to do with him and his men," the farmers said. Meanwhile, a court in Lakhimpur Kheri on Wednesday deferred till November 15 the hearing on the bail application of Ashish and two others in the case. Ashish is in jail and the case is being investigated by an SIT. Eight people were killed in the October 3 violence, which took place during a protest over Uttar Pradesh Deputy Chief Minister Keshav Prasad Maurya visit to Lakhimpur Kheri. Four farmers and a journalist were knocked down by a car carrying BJP workers.

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