Farmers Movement Archive

Lakhimpur Kheri incident: Angry to the core, farmers, students out on streets in Amritsar

Tribune News ServiceAmritsar, October 4The alleged murder of at least four farmers by the son of a minister in Uttar Pradesh, who mowed them under his car, has anguished people from different sections of society who staged protests and demanded action against the culprit.Farmers under the banner of Sanyukt Kisan Morcha burnt the effigies of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and UP Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath at Bhandari Bridge and termed the incident as a well-hatched conspiracy to intimidate farmers in UP ahead of the next Assembly elections. They termed the incident as barbaric and compared it to the massacre of freedom fighters in Jallianwala Bagh on April 13, 1919.Rattan Singh Randhawa, a farmer leader associated with Jamhoori Kisan Sabha said: “This is heights of indifference. BJP leaders have now resorted to mowing protesting farmers under their cars as if they are of no significance and their killings do not matter at all to society in general.”He said these murders would not intimidate farmers. “There are lakhs of us out protesting against this fascist government. How many will they kill?” he questioned, demanding the BJP leaders to shake up their conscience.Students of Guru Nanak Dev University and Khalsa College, the biggest two educational institutions in district, also staged protests and expressed solidarity with the agrarian community.Kisan Sangharsh Committee activists and members of Majha-based farmers’ organisation staged a protest outside the residence of BJP national general secretary Tarun Chugh and demanded strict action against the UP minister’s son and others involved in the killing of farmers.They said the BJP-led Central Government had been trying to intimidate farmers from the initial days of the protest and for this, different tactics were being used from time to time. They said in the recent tactic, at least four farmers have been killed in broad daylight by mowing them under the wheels of a vehicle at the behest of the son of a minister in Central Government.The farmer leaders said the minister should be sacked from the Cabinet immediately and all involved in the attack on farmers should be arrested and prosecuted. The farmer leaders also took strong objection to the statements of Haryana Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar and termed his statements as unparliamentarily and against the interest of the community.United Sikh Students protest ‘Bhagwa terrorism’ Amritsar: Activists of the United Sikh Students burnt the effigies of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and UP Chief Minister Adityanath Yogi during a protest staged outside the GNDU here on Monday. Accusing the BJP government of orchestrating violence against farmers at UP’s Lakhimpur Kheri, they raised slogans against them. They called violence against farmers as ‘Bhagwa terrorism’. They also raised slogans against Minister of State for Home Ajay Kumar Mishra and his son. Members of the Folklore Research Academy and Pragratisheel Lekhak Sangh also condemned the incident.Students condemn Haryana CM’s remarksStudents under the banner of Khalsa College Students’ Forum took out a march to protest against the killing of farmers in Lakhimpur Kheri. Student leaders alleged that it was a well-planned conspiracy to intimidate farmers. They said they would stand behind farmers in the ongoing protest and create awareness among the general public regarding the atrocities being committed by the BJP government against the protesting farmers. Students also condemned Haryana Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar for making unsavoury statements against farmers and the ongoing agitation. Arsh Bhullar, a student leader, said: “It is time for public to unite behind the farming community as the incumbent government had turned dictatorial.” The protest was attended by activists of Students For Society, Punjab Students’ Union, Punjab Students’ Union (Lalkar), Sath, All-India Students’ Federation and Naujwan Bharat Sabha. TNSBe ready to fight repressive, fascist forces to save democracy: Farmers in Tarn TaranTarn Taran: Farmers, mazdoors, employees and other sections of society lodged their strong protest against the violent incident that occurred in Lakheempur Kheri (Uttar Pradesh) on Sunday in which nine, including four farmers and a journalist, were crushed to death by the convey led by Union Minister’s son. The agitators burnt the effigies of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Union Home Minister Amit Shah and Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Aditya Nath. The farmer organisations associated with the Sanyukt Kisan Morcha organised dharna in front of the District Administration Complex (DAC) and also presented a memorandum to the officials. Daljit Singh Dialpur, Narbhinder Singh and other leaders condemned the crushing of four farmers and a journalist under the vehicles of the convoy led by Union Minister’s son. The Morcha leaders called farmers and other sections of society to be ready to fight against the repression created by the fascist forces to save democracy in the country. Teachers of government schools on the call of the Democratic Teachers’ Front, Punjab, burnt the posters of Narender Modi, Yogi Aditya Nath and Amit Shah against the killings of the farmers and others organised protests at different schools. Nachhatar Singh, district president of the front and other leaders said as the Union Government was hell bent upon crushing peaceful agitation of the farmers, they had now started killing them as well. The leaders demanded that the farmers’ agitating be resolved by way of repealing the three farm laws immediately. Farmers and Mazdoor under the Kisan Mazdoor Sangharsh Committee, Punjab, organised protests in different villages and burnt the effigies of the PM and other BJP leaders for killing farmers and a journalist. Harpreet Singh Sidhwan, Dhanna Singh Lalu Ghuman were others who addressed on the occasion and called farmers to be come forward for the repressive tactics of the Union Government. — Gurbaxpuri

The Tribune

2021-10-05