Question on Jailed Son Irks MoS Ajay Mishra, Caught on Cam Abusing Journalists, Calling Them 'Chor'

Union minister Ajay Mishra, whose son, Ashish, was accused of running over farmers in Uttar Pradesh’s Lakhimpur Kheri, has landed in another soup. A video of the BJP leader has now gone viral, where he is seen abusing the media and calling them “chor (thieves)”.

“Befkufi Ke Sawaal Mat Kiya Karo, Dimaag Kharab Hai Kya, Phone Band Kar De. Yehin Media Wale Choron ne Nirdosh Aadmi ko… sharam nahi aati hai (Don’t ask stupid questions. Are you mad? These media persons, thieves… they have no shame),” the minister said. In the end, he also lunges towards a journalist.

The video was shot when Ajay Mishra Teni had gone to his hometown, Lakhimpur Kheri, to inaugurate a child and maternity hospital. He also met his jailed son yesterday.

The Opposition parties have been demanding the minister’s sacking from the Union Cabinet after a Special Investigation Team (SIT) stated that the death of the four farmers in Lakhimpur Kheri was a “well-planned conspiracy” and not an accident. SP chief Akhilesh Yadav and Congress UP president Ajay Kumar Lallu have demanded that Mishra be sacked immediately to ensure a fair investigation in the case.

Congress general secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra posted the video on Twitter and reiterated her demand to sack Mishra.

The incident in October had claimed eight lives when a jeep rammed into a group of farmers who were returning from a protest against the minister. The videos, which emerged following the incident, showed that vehicles had hit the farmers from behind unprovoked. A journalist had died after being crushed under the wheels of the jeep. After this incident, three BJP workers were beaten to death by an angry crowd in retaliation.

Following the incident, a case was registered against Ashish for the murder of four farmers and a journalist. Under the relevant sections, the SIT had sent all the accused, including Ashish, to jail.

On Tuesday, the CJM court in Lakhimpur accepted the demand of the SIT to add fresh IPC sections against Ashish and other accused.

The incident had triggered massive outrage among farmers. As the BJP gears up for the 2022 polls, the incident may increase Mishra’s troubles further. Last month, the Supreme Court directed the Special Investigation Team to complete the investigation expeditiously. It also added three IPS officers to the team – those who are not from Uttar Pradesh, though they are allocated to the UP cadre. This was done over concerns that local policemen would manipulate the probe.

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