Lakhimpur Kheri: PM Modi Breaks Silence on Case Involving BJP Minister's Son

Speaking to news agency ANI in an interview on the eve of the Uttar Pradesh Assembly polls, Prime Minister Narendra Modi addressed the the Lakhimpur Kheri incident, in which four farmers were killed after being allegedly mowed down by Union Minister Ajay Mishra Teni's son.

(Photo: The Quint)

Speaking to news agency ANI in an interview on the eve of the Uttar Pradesh Assembly polls, Prime Minister Narendra Modi addressed the the Lakhimpur Kheri incident, in which four farmers were killed after being allegedly run over by Union Minister Ajay Mishra Teni's son.

He said:

"The state government gave its consent for whatever committee the Supreme Court wanted, for whichever judge the Supreme Court wanted for the probe. The state government is working transparently.”

His remarks came in response to a question about the opposition alleging that the BJP 'protects their own', especially in regards to the Lakhimpur case.

BJP Minister Ajay Mishra Teni’s son Ashish Mishra is believed to have been driving the SUV that ran over farmers in Lakhimpur Kheri, who were protesting the three contentious farm laws.

ON FARM LAWS

In reference to the farm-laws, which were repealed amid widespread protests by farmers, the Prime Minister said that “they were brought in the benefit of farmers, but withdrawn in the interest of the people.”

Further PM Modi claimed that he had always worked for the benefit of farmers, and they too have, in turn, always supported him.

BACKGROUND

PM Modi also unleashed a slew of attacks on the Samajwadi Party (SP), the Bharatiya Janata Party's key rival in the upcoming elections in the state.

Subsequently, he responded to Congress Leader Rahul Gandhi’s attack on his government for not issuing a clarification on issues like the India-China border dispute and rising unemployment in Parliament, and said: “How do I reply to a person who does not listen, and does not sit in the House?”