The Samyukt Kisan Morcha (SKM) has announced a series of agitations here on Saturday condemning the delay in arresting the main culprits in the Lakhimpur Kheri violence.
The SKM leaders told reporters that the Uttar Pradesh Police is not serious in investigating the matter and urged the Prime Minister to sack Minister of State for Home Ajay Mishra from the post.
Meanwhile, the statement made by SKM leader Rakesh Tikait that the death of three other people in the violence that followed the killing of farmers was a counter attack created controversy. Tikait said the vehicle was purposefully rammed into peaceful protesters and that broke the peace for some time in the area.
Martyrdom day
The SKM has decided to mark October 12 as martyrdom day and the farmers will burn effigies of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Home Minister Amit Shah at various district headquarters of the country. “SKM is demanding that the Union Minister of State for Home Affairs, Ajay Mishra Teni, should be dismissed from the Government and arrested on charges of spreading disharmony, murder, and criminal conspiracy, and also that Ashish Mishra (his son) and his associates (amongst whom, names of Sumit Jaiswal and Ankit Das have surfaced), accused for murder in a registered FIR, should be immediately arrested,” the leaders said.
If the demands are not met, SKM will hold a Shaheed Kisan Yatra from Lakhimpur Kheri to all districts of UP and to all States of the country, by carrying the remains of the farmers. “On October 18, there will be a Rail Roko organised from 10 am to 4 pm. On October 26, there will be a Mahapanchayat in Lucknow,” the leaders announced.
On the interrogation of Ashish Mishra, the SKM said he should be immediately arrested. “BJP is not ready to take any step against its leaders and goons even after there is clear evidence of such a big murder and involvement of 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 Samyukt Kisan Morcha has decided that it will respond to this violence through a peaceful and democratic mass-movement,” the leader added.