New Delhi: A day after the SIT probing the Lakhimpur Kheri violence said it was a "pre-planned conspiracy", the Congress sharpened its attack on the government on Wednesday and said it will continue exerting pressure on the BJP dispensation until Union Minister of State for Home Ajay Kumar Mishra is dismissed and sent to jail.
Former Congress chief Rahul Gandhi said the government will have to sack the minister in order to provide justice to the victims of the Lakhimpur Kheri violence and added that they will continue their struggle, even for years, until he is sent to jail.
"When I had visited Lakhimpur Kheri, I had promised that whatever happened, we will put pressure till justice is delivered. No justice will come without exerting pressure or struggle.
"As we had said that they will have to take the three black agri laws back, and that happened. Same way, I am saying that in the end this minister will have to resign. We will not leave him until he goes to jail. We will not leave him even if it takes us five years, 10 years or 15 years," he told reporters outside Parliament.
He said this is the fight for the truth and the Congress party will continue to put pressure seeking his dismissal and a discussion in Parliament on the Special Investigation Team (SIT) report on the Lakhimpur incident. He also said opposition leaders are trying to ensure a discussion in Parliament on the October 3 violence in Lakhimpur Kheri district of Uttar Pradesh that left eight people, including four farmers, dead.
"We are trying. They (government) are not allowing us to speak, that is why the House is being disrupted," the Congress leader told reporters outside Parliament.
"Their minister is involved and we have sought a discussion on the issue, but they are not allowing," he said.
The former Congress president alleged that the Lakhimpur incident is a conspiracy and the minister is involved in it.
AICC general secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra also demanded that union minister Ajay Kumar Mishra be dismissed and shared a video clip of him losing his cool with mediapersons and calling them "thieves" and lunging at one of them when they questioned him on the October 3 violence for which his son is among the accused.
Vadra also shared on Twitter remarks made by the families of the victims of Lakhimpur Kheri violence and demanded answers from the prime minister and the Uttar Pradesh chief minister.
Rahul Gandhi earlier gave an adjournment notice in the Lok Sabha, demanding an immediate discussion on the Lakhimpur Kheri violence.
Meanwhile, the BJP on Wednesday rejected as unfounded the Opposition's demand for the resignation of Union minister Ajay Misra 'Teni' and all but ruled out a discussion on the Lakhimpur Kheri issue as the matter is sub-judice.
"The probe is on under Supreme Court's directions. Such comments (of opposition) are unfounded," Union minister and senior BJP leader Piyush Goyal told reporters.
Asked about the demand for a discussion, he added, "Parliamentary rules dictate that a sub-judice matter is not discussed (in Parliament)."
Earlier in the day, the Opposition Samajwadi Party and Congress staged protests outside the Uttar Pradesh Assembly on Wednesday as the House began its last session before the state polls.
Legislators of the main opposition Samajwadi Party also raised the issues of price rise and problems of farmers while carrying placards, cutouts of LPG cylinders and sugarcane stalks.
"We demand removal of Union Minister of State for Home Ajay Mishra. Apart from this, we want to draw the attention of the union and the state governments toward spiralling inflation, a host of problems faced by the farmers including those who grow sugarcane," SP MLC Rajpal Kashyap said.
"The law and order situation is very bad in the state," he alleged.