New Delhi, Dec 16 (IANS): The Congress on Thursday stepped up its attack on the Centre to sack Minister of State for Home Ajay Misra Teni, whose son was allegedly involved in the Lakhimpur Kheri violence.

Congress General Secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra in a tweet on Thursday said, "The government's refusal to sack Ajay Mishra Teni is the starkest indication of its moral bankruptcy. @narendramodi ji, carefully curated spectacles of piety and wearing religious attire will not change the fact that you are protecting a criminal..Ajay Mishra Teni should be sacked and charged in accordance with the law."

Congress leaders on Thursday moved adjournment notices in the Lok Sabha on the issue of the Lakhimpur Kheri violence.

Congress MP Rahul Gandhi on Wednesday alleged that he was not being allowed to speak in the Lok Sabha on the issue of Lakhimpur Kheri incident in the light of new revelation made by the SIT. "They are not allowing us to speak that is why the House is being disrupted. The report has come and their minister is involved, so there should be discussion on it," he said.

Congress MPs on Wednesday also moved several adjournment notices in the Lok Sabha seeking a discussion on the Lakhimpur Kheri incident and removal of Minister of state Ajay Misra Teni after the SIT report termed the violence "pre-planned".

Rahul Gandhi, along with party chief whip K. Suresh and Manickam Tagore moved the notices to press for the removal of Teni, whose son had allegedly mowed down four farmers while they were protesting against the three contentious farm laws in Uttar Pradesh's Lakhimpur Kheri on October 3.