Farmers Begin 3-Day Protest at Lakhimpur Kheri in UP

Hundreds of farmers began a three-day protest on Thursday in Lakhimpur Kheri of Uttar Pradesh demanding the sacking of Union Minister Ajay Mishra Teni among others.

The farmers holding the dharna under the Samyukta Kisan Morcha (SKM)—an umbrella organisation of farm unions—at Mandi Ground in Lakhimpur Kheri are also demanding the release of the four agriculturalists jailed in connection with the violence in October last year.

Also Read: CAA Protest an attempt to hold back Assam: Pijush Hazarika

Mishra’s son Ashish Mishra is among the accused in the case filed after the violence which took place in the district’s Tikonia area during the protest against the now rescinded farm laws. As many as eight people, including four farmers, were killed when a convoy of vehicles, including one allegedly belonging to Ajay Mishra, ran over them on October 3, 2021. In the ensuing violence, two BJP workers, the driver of one of the vehicles, and a journalist were also killed.

“The dharna in Lakhimpur Kheri has began. Farmers from different parts of the state and country have arrived in Lakhimpur Kheri to take part. Our leader Rakesh Tikait will be reaching the spot soon,” said BKU (Tikait)’s district president Dilbagh Singh, who had filed an application with the state government seeking permission to hold the dharna as reported by The Indian Express.

Rakesh Tikait had played a key role in the 13-month farmers’ protest against the Centre’s three farm laws last year.

Sources said most of the farmers who reached Lakhimpur Kheri are from Punjab and Haryana. The food stalls at the protest spot are mostly run by the farmers from those two states, they added.

Farmers claimed they are holding the dharna since despite their demands the government has not sacked Ajay Mishra so far. Moreover, despite promising them that no action will be taken against any farmers in the Tikonia case, the police arrested four of them. “We demand that those four farmers be released because they acted in self-defence as the assailants had come to kill them,” said a farm leader.

Also Read: Centre Blocks 8 YouTube Channels for Spreading Disinformation