Purported video of MoS Ajay Kumar Mishra surfaced on social media ahead of Lakhimpur violence
Lucknow(PTI): A purported video of Union Minister of State for Home Ajay Kumar Mishra in which he is heard warning agitating farmers that he would discipline them in "two minutes" appears to have angered farmers even before Sunday's violent clashes in Lakhimpur Kheri.
"Face me, it will take just two minutes to discipline you fellows," the two-time BJP MP from Kheri is heard allegedly saying in the video.
"I am not only a minister or a MP and MLA...People who know me even before I became a Parliamentarian know that I never run away from taking a challenge. The day I accept the challenge you all have to leave not only Palia (a place) but Lakhimpur itself," he is heard saying in the video.
Source said Mishra's speech came in the backdrop of some farmers showing him black flags in Palia locality in his Kheri Parliamentary constituency where he had gone to address a public meeting there late last month.
Since then farmers have been up in arms against him and on Sunday while protesting against the visit of Deputy Chief Minister Keshav Prasad Maurya in Mishra's native village Banbirpur violence erupted resulting in eight deaths, the sources said.
Local farmer leader Gurmit Singh told a TV channel that on September 25, members of Krantikari Kisan union and Bhartiya Kisan Union had shown Mishra black flags following which the minister had allegedly threatened to deal with them.
He said upon coming to know about Maurya's programme, the farmers sat on a dharna peacefully near the helipad where he was scheduled to arrive. When the farmers came to know that Maurya was coming by road, the farmers stood in protest at a three km stretch on his travel route in the course of which the dastardly incident happened the previous day.
Singh alleged that Mishra's son and his supporters "trampled farmers to death under wheels of their SUVs".
Farmer leaders had claimed that the minister's son Ashish Mishra was in one of the cars which allegedly knocked down some protesters who were opposing the deputy CM's visit.
However, Ajay Mishra said he and his son were not present at the spot as alleged by some farmer leaders and he has photo and video evidence to prove it.
Ajay Mishra had also claimed that extremist organisations like the Babbar Khalsa have infiltrated into the farmers' protest
An FIR has been registered against Ashish Mishra and others in connection with the incident.
Some criminal cases including that of murder were lodged against 61-year-old Ajay Mishra in the past but he was cleared by the court in those related to murder allegations.
Starting his political innings as a panchayat member, Ajay Mishra was elected as BJP MLA from Vidhasan assembly seat in Lakhimpur Kheri district in 2012.
The party nominated him for the 2014 Lok Sabha poll from Kheri seat which he won then and also in the last Parliamentary election in 2019.
He was inducted in Prime Minister Narendra Modi cabinet in July last and given a key berth as Minister of State for Home.
The saffron party projected him as a prominent Brahmin leader and organised several public meetings for him to drum up support in the upcoming state election.
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Vijay unable to prove majority, not invited for CM oath ceremony: Sources
Chennai: Actor-politician Vijay has reportedly not been invited to take oath as Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu after failing to demonstrate support from the required number of MLAs, sources in Raj Bhavan said.
According to media reports that quoted sources in the office of R.N. Ravi Arlekar, Vijay could not prove the backing of 118 legislators, the majority mark in the 234-member Tamil Nadu Assembly.
Despite last-minute efforts to secure support from the Viduthalai Chiruthaigal Katchi (VCK), Amma Makkal Munnetra Kazagam (AMMK), and an IUML legislator, Vijay reportedly managed support from only 116 MLAs, falling short by two members.
Sources said Vijay failed to submit letters of support from the VCK and the Indian Union Muslim League (IUML).
Later, the IUML issued a statement clarifying that it was not part of the TVK-led alliance.
Meanwhile, AMMK leader T.T.V. Dhinakaran is also said to have informed the Governor that his party would support the All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (AIADMK) instead.
Earlier in the evening, Vijay had met Governor Arlekar and staked claim to form the government, stating that he enjoyed the support of 118 MLAs.
