Farmers Movement Archive

‘Unforgivable, barbaric, cruel’: How politicians reacted to Lakhimpur incident

Several political leaders, including Congress leader Rahul Gandhi and Trinamool Congress (TMC) chief Mamata Banerjee, have condemned the incident in Uttar Pradesh’s Lakhimpur Kheri in which eight people, including four farmers protesting against the Centre’s three farm laws, were killed.The incident happened earlier in the day at Tikonia-Banbirpur road when the farmers were protesting against the visit of Uttar Pradesh deputy chief minister Keshav Prasad Maurya in Banbirpur village. A local police official said that the farmers got enraged after two SUVs reportedly belonging to Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) workers hit them and injured many farmers. Massive chaos and arson broke out soon after and police rushed to the spot.Bharatiya Kisan Union (BKU) spokesperson Rakesh Tikait in a video message on Twitter claimed that the violence broke out after the farmers, who were on their way back home following protests against the farm laws, were attacked with a vehicle. He further alleged that fire was opened at them.Union minister of state for home Ajay Kumar Mishra Teni told news agency ANI that the car lost balance after and ended up killing two people after “miscreants from the agitating farmers” began pelting stones at the vehicle.The incident has caused massive outrage and many prominent political leaders have issued statements along with their decisions to visit Lakhimpur Kheri.Here are some reactions from politicians:1.     Uttar Pradesh chief minister Yogi Adityanath said that the incident in Lakhimpur Kheri is “unfortunate” and that actions will be taken against whoever is responsible for the same.2.     Congress leader Rahul Gandhi took to Twitter on Sunday to write that the “sacrifice” of those involved in the Lakhimpur Kheri incident “will not go in vain.”3.     Samajwadi Party (SP) president and former chief minister of Uttar Pradesh Akhilesh Yadav termed the incident as “inhuman and cruel.” “UP will not bear the oppression of arrogant BJP people anymore,” his tweet in Hindi read. He will visit Lakhimpur Kheri tomorrow.4.     Congress general secretary and party’s UP in-charge Priyanka Gandhi Vadra tweeted, “enough is enough.” “This is the country of farmers, and not a fiefdom of BJP ideology...Farmers’ satyagrah will get stronger, farmers’ voice will get louder,” she wrote. She is set to leave for Lakhimpur on Monday 8am.5.     TMC supremo Mamata Banerjee, who won the Bhabanipur bypolls on Sunday and retained the chief minister’s chair, condemned the “barbaric incident” in Lakhimpur. “The apathy of BJP towards our farmer brethren pains me deeply,” she tweeted, adding that a five-member delegation of MPs will visit the families of the victims tomorrow.6.    “Violence or provocation of violence is no solution to any problem,” former Punjab chief minister Amarinder Singh said. 7.     Punjab chief minister Charanjit Singh Channi condemned the incident and shared his condolences with the “bereaved families in this hour of grief.”8.     Congress leader and Chhattisgarh chief minister Bhupesh Baghel is also going to go to Lakhimpur Kheri tomorrow. He took to Twitter as well to raise his voice against the “brutal treatment meted out to farmers,” saying that the incident is “unforgivable.” “I am a farmer. I understand the pain of the farmers. I will go to Lakhimpur tomorrow morning to stand by them in these difficult circumstances,” he tweeted.

Hindustan Times

03-10-2021

India