Even as the BJP steps up its attack on Samajwadi Party (SP) chief Akhilesh Yadav on his Jinnah statement, he has decided to deflect focus by announcing that the 3rd of every month will be observed as the 'Lakhimpur Kisan Smriti Diwas to remind people of the "BJPs cruelty".He has urged the "people of Uttar Pradesh, all well-wishers of farmers and SP workers and those of the allies" to back the decision.On October 3, four farmers were allegedly mowed down by a SUV while they were returning after staging protests against the farm laws at an event in which Deputy Chief Minister Keshav Maurya and Union Minister Ajay Mishra Teni were present.Farmers alleged that the SUV belonged to Teni and his son Ashish Mishra was in it.
Ashish Mishra has been arrested and farmers are now calling for the Union Minister's dismissal since he is also an accused in the case.Meanwhile, SP leaders have come out strongly in defence of Akhilesh Yadav's decision not to contest the 2022 Assembly polls."SP National President being in the fray is inconsequential as the party, as a whole, will contest the 2022 Assembly polls on the name, face and leadership of Akhilesh Yadav himself," said party spokesperson MLC Udaiveer Singh.Apart from Akhilesh Yadav, a number of top politicians like Bahujan Samaj Party supremo Mayawati and Chief mMnister Yogi Adityanath had stayed away from the assembly elections only to take the MLC route through by polls.