Samyukt Kisan Morcha leaders to begin protest in Lakhimpur
The Samyukt Kisan Morcha decided to hold the protest from August 18 to 20 to seek “justice” in the Lakhimpur Kheri violence case. Farmers are also demanding the withdrawal of cases registered against them during the stir against the Centre’s now-withdrawn farm laws.
Bhartiya Kisan Union-Tikait (BKU-Tikait) and several other constituents of the Samyukt Kisan Morcha (SKM), an umbrella organisation of farmers, will hold a 75-hour sit-in at Rajapur Krishi-Utpadan Mandi Samiti in Lakhimpur Kheri from Thursday to press their pending demands.
“BKU national president Naresh Tikait, national spokesperson Rakesh Tikait (Naresh’s brother), Darshan Singh Pal, Joginder Singh Ugrahan, Yogendra Yadav and other prominent leaders of the Samyukt Kisan Morcha will take part in the sit-in, which will start on Thursday,” said Baljinder Singh Mann, in-charge of Uttar Pradesh and Uttarakhand units of BKU-Tikait.
The Samyukt Kisan Morcha decided to hold the protest from August 18 to 20 to seek “justice” in the Lakhimpur Kheri violence case.
Eight people, including four farmers, were killed in Lakhimpur Kheri during the violence that erupted in Tikunia area of the district on October 3 last year.
Farmers are also demanding the withdrawal of cases registered against them during the stir against the Centre’s now-withdrawn farm laws, compensation to families of farmers who died during the course of the yearlong protest and legal guarantee for the minimum support price of crops.
“The 75-hour dharna has been organised to press for their pending demands,” said Dilbagh Singh, BKU-Tikait district president.
Bhudev Sharma, national organisation secretary of BKU-Tikait, said the farmers would demand dismissal of Union minister of state for home Ajay Kumar Mishra ‘Teni’ in connection with Tikunia violence of October 3, 2021, in which his son Ashish Mishra is the key accused.
He added their demands also included withdrawal of cases against the four farmers, who are in jail in connection with their alleged involvement in Tikunia violence case.
Meanwhile, farmers from Punjab, Haryana, Uttarakhand and various other parts of Uttar Pradesh started arriving at the Mandi Samiti in Lakhimpur on Wednesday.
Elaborate security arrangements have been ensured in the Mandi Samiti in view of the farmers’ agitation.
PTI adds: Bharti Kisan Union (Ekta-Ugrahan) president Joginder Singh Ugrahan on Wednesday said they are going to Lakhimpur Kheri on the call of the SKM.
“We will participate in the ‘dharna’ there,” he said. BKU (Ekta-Ugrahan) general secretary Sukhdev Singh Kokrikalan said around 2,000 farmers, including women, left for Uttar Pradesh to participate in the protest. BKU (Doaba) president Manjit Singh Rai said 10,000 farmers from Punjab will participate in the protest.
“Some are going on trains and some on their own vehicles,” said Rai.