New Delhi: Dubbing the probe initiated by the Uttar Pradesh government into the Lakhimpur Kheri violence as a "paper work", the Congress on Tuesday asked why the son of a union minister accused of allegedly mowing down farmers has not been arrested yet and the minister dismissed.
While addressing a Press conference, Congress leader and former law minister Ashwani Kumar also asked why Prime Minister Narendra Modi did not meet the families of the eight people who died in the Lakhimpur incident even though he was in Lucknow on Tuesday for an "Azadi ka Amrut Mahotsav" event.
Questioning the detention of Priyanka Gandhi Vadra and other Congress leaders, who were on their way to share the grief of the affected families, Kumar said that the government is arresting leaders of Opposition parties for expressing their grief, while all the key accused in the case are being 'protected' by the police.
Reacting to the announcement of a compensation of Rs 45 lakh each to the affected families by the UP government, the Congress leader said that human life cannot be measured in monetary terms. However, he has dismissed the "compromise" reached between the farmers and authorities.
"We feel only 'paper work' has been done to try and suppress the anger of people. But this anger cannot be suppressed and history is witness to this," he said, adding that what is the guarantee that the probe announced is going to lead to a speedy and just decision in the case. "The prime minister is in Lucknow today. It was expected that when a tragedy of such colossal nature has taken place, he would meet the aggrieved families and the families of those who have lost their lives. But that has not happened," Kumar said.
He accused the government of indifference and insensitivity in dealing with the incident and said that Congress expresses its "shock and disgust" over the administration's response.
"How is it that a cavalcade of cars driving at full speed mows down eight innocent citizens of our country and the only concrete response is the announcement of a Rs 45 lakh compensation? Human life cannot be measured in monetary terms," he said, adding that the BJP-led governments in Uttar Pradesh and at the Centre are trying to rub salt on the wounds of people instead of putting balm.
The former union minister also questioned the role of the Central government in not asking the union minister of state for home affairs to not resign and the response of the UP government in not arresting the person who is guilty.