SAD seeks SC monitored probe into Lakhimpur Kheri killings

Chandigarh: Former Union minister Harsimrat Kaur Badal on Saturday demanded a Supreme Court monitored probe into the Lakhimpur Kheri farmer killings even as she called for the immediate dismissal of union minister of state for Home Affairs Ajay Misra.

Harsimrat Kaur Badal was interacting with the media following the visit of a high level delegation of party leaders to Lakhimpur Kheri on Friday. She was accompanied by the committee members including Balwinder Singh Bhundur and Bikram Singh Majithia.

The former Union minister said the victim families of farmers, who had been crushed to death by the Union minister's son Ashish Misra, did not have any hope for justice from the Uttar Pradesh government.

"It is clear that justice cannot be done in the case till the Union Minister of State for Home is not dismissed. I fail to understand why he has not been dismissed till now. In fact a case should have been registered against Ajay Misra on September 25 when he incited people to commit violence against peacefully protesting farmers," Badal said. She said Ajay Misra had compounded his crime after his son crushed four farmers and a journalist under his vehicle by stating that the vehicle was being stone pelted and that the driver lost control.

Badal also asserted that the entire case should be transferred to a non-BJP State because the Uttar Pradesh police was not in a position to take action against the Union minister of state. She also condemned the five-day delay in taking action against the minister's son saying even this had been done only after the intervention of the Supreme Court.

Meanwhile, while recollecting her visit to the homes of the victims, including that to the residence of the slain journalist Raman Kashyap, Badal said "I was struck by the injustice being done to the hapless victims. They told me they don't want money or jobs but a closure to the tragedy which had struck them by awarding exemplary punishment to the perpetrators."