Farmers Movement Archive

‘Reaction to action’: Tikait on BJP workers’ murder in Lakhimpur Kheri

New Delhi Farmer union leader Rakesh Tikait on Saturday said the death of three people said to be associated with the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in Uttar Pradesh’s Lakhimpur Kheri district on October 2 was a “reaction to an action”. “It was a reaction to the action of (BJP leader) Ajay Mishra’s jeep running over farmers returning home peacefully after a protest,” Tikait said in Hindi. He said a “neutral probe” into the entire incident should be ordered. Farm unions do not have faith in the probe ordered by the UP government by a retired judge, he said, adding he was “saddened” by the loss of lives. Farmers had been provoked into reacting, he said.“(Prime minister Narendra) Modi also said during the Gujarat riots that the violence was a reaction to an action. What’s wrong in saying what appears to have happened?” Tikait, a leader of the Bharatiya Kisan Union (Indian farmers’ union), said. Tikait is an influential leader from Baliyan khap (clan) of western Uttar Pradesh, a sugarcane belt. He is among a clutch of leaders who have led yearlong demonstrations against the Modi government’s three farm laws enacted last year. On October 2, a convoy of vehicles belonging to Ashish Mishra, the son of Union minister of state for home Ajay Mishra, struck protesters, enraging farmers. A viral video a day later, reportedly of the incident, showed a jeep ploughing into farmers from behind at high speed in Lakhimpur Kheri. Eight people were killed in the incident. Four farmers and a journalist are said to have been crushed by the vehicles. Three people associated with the BJP, including the driver of the jeep, died in the ensuing violence. The police have named Ajay Mishra in a first investigation report and are probing whether he was in the vehicle that slammed into protesters. Mishra was being questioned by Uttar Pradesh till the time of filing this report. Both the Union minister and his son have denied involvement in the violence. Major farm unions belonging to the Samyukt Kisan Morcha, a platform of farm unions, addressed a press conference in the Capital on Saturday in which Tikait was present. The farm unions have sought dismissal of the Union minister and arrest of his son. They announced a series of agitation to protest the Lakhimpur Kheri violence, including a massive rally in Lucknow on October 26. The unions also said they would block trains for six hours on October 18 and mourn the death of the farmers at Lakhimpur Kheri on October 12, where a large number of protesters are expected to show up. Farmers in several states are on yearlong protests against three new agricultural laws that seek to liberalise farm trade in the country. One law is meant to allow big businesses and supermarkets to buy produce from farmers outside regulated state-backed wholesale markets. A second law seeks to allow private traders to stockpile large quantities of food for future sales. A third law lays down a framework for contract farming. The government has said the changes were necessary to boost investment and raise farm incomes but farm unions say the changes will leave them at the mercy of big corporations.

Hindustan Times

10-10-2021

India