Varun Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi Vadra (file photos)
BJP MP Varun Gandhi, who has been increasingly offering views divergent from his party, on Saturday posted online a letter to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, listing four big demands following the Centre's surprise cancellation of the controversial farm laws.
Reminding the Prime Minister that over 700 farmers would have still been alive had he taken the decision earlier, the BJP's MP from Pilibhit in Uttar Pradesh demanded Rs 1 crore compensation for those who died in the course of the year-long protest.
Further, Gandhi asked to withdraw "politically motivated false FIRs" against the protesters and their calls for widening the programme of guaranteed prices for farm produce known as Minimum Support Price or MSP be accepted, saying their movement wouldn't end without it.
"Furthermore, all politically motivated false FIRs that have been registered as weapons of harassment against our farmers during this movement must be immediately quashed," the letter states.
The BJP MP called the Lakhimpur Kheri incident a "blemish on our democracy" and accused the "leaders sitting in senior positions" of making provocative statements against the agitating farmers.
"This heartbreaking incident is a blemish on our democracy. It is my request to you that appropriately strict action is taken against the Union Minister who has been connected to this incident, so that there is a fair enquiry," the BJP MP has written in the letter.
Gandhi further sought strict action against the Union minister connected to the Lakhimpur Kheri incident without naming Union minister of state for home Ajay Kumar Mishra 'Teni', whose son is an accused in the case.
Meanwhile, Congress general secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra has written another letter to Modi, who is in Lucknow, urging him not to share stage with Union minister Ajay Mishra 'Teni', if his intentions for repealing the farm laws are clear.
"If your intentions are clear don't share dais with union minister of state for home. Dismiss him," Gandhi said in her letter to PM Modi.
She also sought the removal of Mishra from his post over the Lakhimpur Kheri violence.
Priyanka Gandhi made the appeal to the prime minister through a letter that she read out in front of reporters hours before the commencement of the DGPs conference.
"Yesterday, while addressing the countrymen, you had said that with true mind and pious heart and keeping in mind the interests of the farmers, an unprecedented decision to repeal the farm laws was taken. If this is true, then getting justice delivered to the families affected by the Lakhimpur Kheri violence should be your top priority," the Congress general secretary said.
Eight people, including four farmers, were killed in Uttar Pradesh's Lakhimpur Kheri on October 3 after a convoy of three SUVs, including one owned by Union MoS for Home Ajay Mishra, hit a group of farm protesters leading to a violent clash. Ashish Mishra was arrested later.