A Special Investigation Team of the Uttar Pradesh police has concluded that the violence in Lakhimpur Kheri, U.P., on October 3 that claimed the lives of eight people was a “pre-planned conspiracy” . Union Minister of State for Home Ajay Kumar Mishra ’s son Ashish Mishra is a key accused in the case. He was in a convoy of cars that mowed down farmers protesting against the controversial farm laws that have since been repealed. Two of the cars were owned by the Minister. In subsequent violence on that day, three BJP workers who were part of the convoy were lynched by the protesters. The charges are yet to be proved in a court, but the Minister is on the defensive as the Opposition stalled Parliament for two days , demanding his dismissal. The charges against his son are serious. The police have sought to drop the initial charges they had brought against the accused under Indian Penal Code (IPC) Section 304A (culpable homicide not amounting to murder), Section 279 (negligent driving), and Section 338 (causing grievous hurt). They now seek Section 307 (attempt to murder), Section 326 (causing hurt with dangerous weapon), Section 34 (acts done by several persons in furtherance of common intention), and Section 3/25 Arms Act against Mr. Ashish Mishra.
It could be argued that a father is not accountable for his son’s actions, but in this instance it is disingenuous. The son has been a key character in the father’s politics, by all accounts, and the Minister’s continuation in the Council has become morally untenable. Mr. Ajay Kumar Mishra has aggravated the situation for himself by misbehaving with a journalist who asked him a question on the issue. His behaviour, caught on camera , is unbecoming of a Minister. The violence unleashed by the Minister’s followers on October 3 was one of the factors that forced the hand of Prime Minister Narendra Modi who had ruled out the repeal of the farm laws all along. The BJP appears to be defending the Minister though the official argument has been limited to the point that the matter cannot be discussed in Parliament as it is before a court. Mr. Ajay Kumar Mishra’s adventurism has turned out to be costly for the BJP, but the party may be cautious in dealing with him. The Assembly election is due in Uttar Pradesh, and the party may not want to ruffle feathers any further. An element of an internal power struggle in the BJP’s U.P. unit is unmistakable in the violent incident and the police response that followed. Mr. Ajay Kumar Mishra had political calculations in taking a combative stance against farmers. But he may have to pay a price for it now, as the incident puts the State and Central governments of the party on the back foot. Fairness demands that he must not stay on as a Union Minister.
