Reacting to viral video and audio of his speech, Union Minister of State (MoS) for Home Ajay Mishra Teni on Wednesday clarified that the audio is just a part of a speech and said that he has never said any ill words against the farmers. Speaking to ANI over the phone, the MoS said: “The viral audio is just a portion from my address to farmers at an event. Ahead of the event, some miscreants had torn the hoardings and posters which had pictures of Bharat Mata and PM Narendra Modi in the area. The speech was with reference to that event.” He added, “At the event, I had said that the people who had torn the hoardings and posters cannot be farmers. I am a farmer too.”
“The entire video and audio have not been played. If the entire audio is heard, the real facts will come into the light. I have never said any ill words against the farmers. I am a farmer myself. No farmer can be behind this incident. Some miscreants present among farmers behind the incident,” he said. “When I said that people should know about my history, I meant that I started from District Panchayat and became what I am today. I had challenged the miscreants who were behind the incidents,” he clarified. Teni further alleged that some Khalistani elements were present at the site where the incident happened. “At the place where this incident happened some Khalistani elements were present there, Bhindranwale posters were also put up,” he added.
As many as eight people died in the Lakhimpur Kheri incident on Sunday. Samyukta Kisan Morcha, an umbrella body of several farmer unions, alleged that Ashish Mishra Teni, son of Union Minister of State for Home Affairs Ajay Mishra Teni arrived with three vehicles around the time that farmers were dispersing from their protest at the helipad and mowed down farmers and towards the end also attacked SKM leader Tajinder Singh Virk directly, by trying to run a vehicle over him. However, Ashish Mishra refuted SKM’s allegations and said he was not present at the spot where the incident took place.
