Maybe for directions from Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Isn’t Ajay Kumar Mishra, MoS (Home), directly or indirectly involved in the Lakhimpur-Kheri incident? Isn’t it right, if anybody can book him, it’s only the Prime Minister, only he who can take action against a minister in his council?

The simple fact is, Ajay Kumar Mishra has outlived his existence in Government. He should be sacked forthwith or told to voluntarily step down. ‘Teni’ Mishra was given a BJP ticket despite a “dubious record”. He won both in the 2014 and the 2019 general elections.

But, after that, to make him a minister compounded the “crime”. Now, after the ‘Lakhimpur-Kheri incident’, in which Mishra’s son is prime accused, if anybody is in advantage, it’s Ajay Kumar Mishra ‘Teni’. He can tamper with evidence and influence witnesses.

So, to conclude that if anybody is standing in the way of a free and fair investigation, it’s the Prime Minister of the land, Prime Minister Narendra Modi himself, is not farfetched. Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath is the man on the spot and he should post-haste arrest Ajay Kumar Mishra’s son, against whom the charge is “murder”, Section 302 of the IPC.

Again, if anybody can summarily tamper with evidence and influence witnesses, it’s the Union Minister of State for ‘Home’ Ajay Kumar Mishra, who, however, has the Prime Minister’s back. The police are in his grips. It’s ludicrous and intriguing to see how the Prime Minister doesn’t see the connection.

Maybe Modi is afflicted with the ‘How Can I Do Anything Wrong?’ syndrome! Also, perhaps, Modi does not want to lose face. The Chinese are notoriously sensitive about losing face. The Japanese even more. Modi has met both Xi Jinping and Shinzo Abe. If Modi shunts Ajay Kumar Mishra out, he’ll be admitting he’s a poor judge of men.

If he agrees he committed a mistake, his ego will deflate. Ajay Kumar Mishra is Kheri MP and he “rules” Kheri with an iron fist. In fact, there are more Mishra in Lakhimpur-Kheri than anywhere in Uttar Pradesh. Ajay Kumar Mishra was ready to launch Ashish Kumar Mishra into politics when Lakhimpur-Kheri hit.

That mission stands curtailed. Ashish Kumar Mishra is a murder accused and it’ll be a long and tortuous trial. Ajay Kumar Mishra says his son is “innocent” and will not be going to jail. That’s like Shahrukh Khan saying Aryan Khan wasn’t on the cocaine cruise.

It appears like some things are going on behind the scenes. A question that should trouble the anti-Modi camp is what’s with the sudden bonhomie between Rakesh Tikait and the Government? Tikait in the company of Yogi’s Police had a jarring note to it.

Tikait appeared to be playing amicus-curie! He has also gone “soft” on the government. Also, sharing a platform with the “enemy” was fraught with risks. What about winning Uttar Pradesh 2022, and eradicating Narendra Modi 2024? How could Tikait strike solo deals with the enemy?

Tikait sitting cheek-to-jowl with the UP Police top brass! Nobody in the farmers’ camp liked it. Rakesh Tikait shouldn’t have said ‘okay’ to Rs 45 lakhs compensation. He shouldn’t have agreed to the all and sundry notions of Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath. Tikait ruffled feathers.

And Tikait has no business or the mandate to decide for the “movement”, declare its last and final phase. The Modi Government must have found something incriminating to hold Tikait to ransom.

It could be the 'beginnings' of a “betrayal” unfolding. The rest of the farmers and the opposition parties are in no mood to relent. The ‘Lakhimpur-Kheri incident’ with its mayhem – blood and gore – has hardened their stance.

The BJP and the Yogi and Modi governments have understood this turn of events. How things unfold from now on will be the response. But ‘Teni’ will have to go. That’s for certain. That’s also how Modi operates. The farmers’ agitation has been there for 11 months. There have been several 100 deaths, but none of them more diabolical than the eight (or nine?) on October 3. For a couple of hours it was like the Devil had come down for a spell!
(IPA Service)