Union Minister Ajay Mishra calls Rakesh Tikait 'second rate person'
Lakhimpur Kheri (UP) (PTI): Union Minister Ajay Kumar Mishra, who is facing flak over his son's alleged involvement in the Lakhimpur Kheri violence in which four farmers were mowed down by a car last year, has called farmer leader Rakesh Tikait a "do kaudi ka aadmi" or a second rate person.
In a video apparently of a speech made to his supporters, Mishra dismissed allegations levelled against him.
"Suppose I am going to Lucknow in a car which is at a good speed, dogs bark on the road or chase the car. It's their nature, I will not say anything about that as we do not have this nature. When things come to the fore, I will give answer to everyone. I am very confident because of your support," Mishra, who is the Minister of State for Home, said.
On October 3 last year, eight people, including four farmers and a journalist, were killed in the violence at Tikunia village here during a farmer protest against the visit of UP Deputy Chief Minister Keshav Prasad Maurya to Mishra's village in Lakhimpur Kheri district.
In this case, Mishra's son Ashish Mishra has been arrested as the main accused.
"People keep raising questions. There are also 'bevakoof patrakaar' (stupid journalists) who have no relationship with journalism and want to create confusion by such 'ulti-seedhi baat' (unfounded things)," he said.
"I know Rakesh Tikait very well, he is a 'do kaudi ka aadmi' (second rate person). He fought election twice and lost the deposit. If this kind of a man opposes anyone, it is of no value and so I do not answer to such people as it is of no relevance," Mishra said.
Led by Tikait, the Samyukt Kisan Morcha (SKM) had staged a 75-hour long dharna in Lakhimpur last week to press for various demands, including sacking of Mishra.
"He (Tikait) is doing politics in this manner and running his livelihood. They will be given a reply at the right time," Mishra is heard telling BJP workers in the video apparently in his Kheri constituency.
Reacting to Mishra's comments, Tikait said it was natural for him to be angry when his son is in jail for the past one year.
The Union minister, known for making controversial statements, also appeared to be giving a clarification in the speech over various allegations levelled against him.
"I have not done anything wrong in my life. I am fighting for the right thing. I have not even done .01 per cent wrong. Anyone can come forward and show otherwise. Truth is never defeated," he said.
Mishra is second consecutive term Lok Sabha MP from Kheri on a BJP ticket.
"No one in the world will be able to disappoint you. No matter how many Rakesh Tikait come," he is heard assuring his supporters to shouts of "zindabad".
"I have to say only this -- 'mujhko tum barkha na samjho aag ka dariya hoon mai,yeh to majboori hai meri apney aap mein jalta hoon main,'" he said amid shouts of supporters in his favour."
Replying to his insinuation, Tikait alleged that a "goonda raj" has been unleashed by Mishra in Lakhimpur and said they would soon launch a "mukti abhiyan" to free the place from Mishra's reign of terror.
"This time we stayed for three days, next time we will stay there (Lakhimpur) for 13 days to end the 'goonda raj' of the minister," the BKU leader was heard saying in a video.
The farmer leader said such threatening comments of the MOS could affect the probe into the Lakhimpur Kheri violence.
"The court and the police should do its work. He (Mishra) shall be externed from the district or the state so that the probe is not affected in the incident," he said.
Tikait said the Lakhimpur Kheri incident would be a prominent issue wherever there is a farmers' agitation in the country.
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BharatPe fraud case: Delhi HC quashes lookout circular against Ashneer Grover, wife
New Delhi, Nov 12: The Delhi High Court has ordered cancellation of a lookout circular (LOC) issued against Ashneer Grover, the former MD of payment app BharatPe, and his wife Madhuri Jain Grover, noting that the FIR lodged against them over allegations of cheating and forgery has already been quashed.
Justice Sanjeev Narula passed the order on Monday after the court was informed that another bench of the high court quashed the FIR on the same day.
The FIR was quashed by Justice Chandra Dhari Singh after considering a plea moved by the Grovers stating that they have arrived at a settlement with the fintech company.
In his order, Justice Narula said, "Although the copy of the order (quashing the FIR) is not available as of now, the aforenoted fact is not disputed by the counsel for the parties.
"In light of the fact that the underlying FIR has been quashed, the LOC issued by respondent No. 3 (Bureau of Immigration), in the opinion of the court, will not survive."
The LOC was issued by the Bureau of Immigration at the instance of Delhi Police's Economic Offences Wing (EOW) in view of the investigation against the Grovers in the cheating and forgery FIR.
The court was hearing a plea moved by Grover and his wife Madhuri Jain Grover seeking quashing of the LOC issued against them in connection with the investigation into the cheating and forgery case.
"Accordingly, the present petitions are disposed of with a direction to the respondents to cancel the LOC against the petitioners in their records," the court noted.
Earlier, the Grovers claimed that they were informed about the LOC for the first time when they were detained at the Indira Gandhi International Airport here on November 16, 2023, while they were scheduled to travel to the US.
After being detained, they were informed that the LOC was operational from November 6, 2023.
In May last year, the EOW filed an FIR against Grover, his wife Madhuri, and others under eight sections of the Indian Penal Code, including 406 (criminal breach of trust), 420 (cheating and dishonesty), 467 and 468 (forgery), and 471 (using forged documents as genuine) for an alleged Rs 81 crore fraud after a complaint was lodged by BhartPe, the fintech unicorn.
In its complaint, BharatPe alleged that Grover and his family caused damages to the tune of Rs 81.3 crore through illegitimate payments to bogus human resource consultants, inflated and undue payments through pass-through vendors connected to the accused, sham transactions in input tax credit and payment of penalty to GST authorities, illegal payment to travel agencies, forged invoices by Madhuri, and destruction of evidence.
Madhuri was the head of controls at BharatPe before she was fired in 2022 after a forensic audit revealed several irregularities.
Subsequently, Grover resigned as the chief executive officer of the fintech firm in March 2022.
