Demanding the resignation of Union Minister of State Ajay Mishra and the arrest of his son Ashish, the Samyukt Kisan Morcha (SKM) — an umbrella body of farmers protesting against the contentious farm laws — on Saturday called for “rail roko” on October 18 to protest Lakhimpur Kheri violence. The farmers will also hold “mahapanchyat” in Lucknow on October 26.
The farmers plan to burn effigies of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Dussehra on October 15 to mark their protest.
The SKM has demanded the dismissal of Mishra and the arrest of his son Ashish and plans to perform an “antim ardas” and “bhog ceremony’ on October 12 for the four deceased farmers. The SKM will observe the day as Shaheed Kisan Diwas across India.
“Farmers from across the country will reach Lakhimpur Kheri on October 12... what happened there was no less than the Jallianwala Bagh and we request all civic organisations to take out candle marches in their cities at 8 pm (on October 12),” Swaraj India chief Yogendra Yadav said.
“Farmers will go to every State with the ashes (of those farmers who died in Lakhimpur Kheri) and immersions will be done... Dussehra is on October 15 and all farmers will burn effigies of Prime Minister Modi and Home Minister Amit Shah,” he added.
The SKM has appealed to all farmer organizations to organize special prayer meetings for martyr farmers at their respective places on that day at gurudwara, temple, mosque, church or at any public place, toll plaza or morchas. Candle marches will be organized on that day in the evening.
“If our demands are not met we will announce the remaining four parts of the plan, which include a ‘rail roko’ on October 18,”the SKM leaders said, adding this will be followed by a massive “mahapanchayat” in Lucknow on October 26.
The SKM alleged that the Centre was increasingly resorting to violence to quell the farmers’ protests, but assured that the peasants’ movement would continue to remain non-violent. Pointing to the Lakhimpur Kheri incident, SKM coordination committee convenor Dr Darshan Pal alleged that there is a possibility of further attacks on farmers -- especially on Punjabi farmers in the district.
“This incident has completely exposed the character of the Union Government, the Uttar Pradesh Government, and the Bharatiya Janata Party which is in power at Centre and State both. The BJP is not ready to take any step against its leaders and goons even after clear evidence of such a big murder and involvement of the BJP leaders in it. It is clear that the BJP has now turned to violence after losing ground in the face of this historic farm movement,” the SKM said.
Meanwhile, Tikait said that the killing of two BJP workers in Lakhimpur Kheri after a convoy of cars mowed down four farmers is a reaction to an action. I do not consider those involved in the killings as culprits.
