LUCKNOW: Samajwadi Party president and former UP chief minister Akhilesh Yadav on Thursday promised jail for Ashish Mishra, son of Union minister of state for home Ajay Mishra Teni, “for mowing down farmers in Lakhimpur” once the Samajwadi Party government is formed in the state. He said the case would be aggressively pursued in the court to ensure that Ashish Mishra is sent back to jail along with his “saviours”.
Addressing election rallies in Auraiya, Kanpur Dehat, Kannauj and Farrukhabad on Wednesday, Akhilesh attacked the Bharatiya Janata Party government for shoddy handling of the case where farmers were crushed to death under the wheels of a jeep allegedly belonging to Ashish Mishra.
“Those who mowed down farmers in Lakhimpur may have got bail, but the case will be pursued strongly in court and they will be sent to jail along with those who have played their saviour,” Akhilesh said.
Describing Centre’s move to bring in three farm laws as a conspiracy to deprive farmers of their livelihood, he said the government was compelled to beat a hasty retreat due to the unity and resolve that the farmers displayed despite all odds.
Accusing the BJP of putting the burden of rising pri- ces on the poor and the middle class, he said petrol prices had crossed Rs 100 and will go over Rs 200 if the BJP returned to power. “LPG costs Rs 1,000 and mustard oil is being sold at Rs 200 per litre. BJP is only helping corporates to make money at the cost of the poor,” he said. Promising employment opportunities, he reiterated that 11 lakh vacancies in the government departments would be filled and 22 lakh jobs and employment opportunities would be created in the IT sector.
