Farmers Movement Archive

Farmers plan to hold series of protests

At the final prayers for the four farmers and one journalist killed in Lakhimpur Kheri’s Tikonia on Tuesday, BKU spokesperson Rakesh Tikait demanded the arrest of Union Minister of State for Home Ajay Kumar Mishra. The Minister’s son Ashish Mishra was sent to three-day police custody on Monday for the murder charge against him. Congress general secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra and RLD president Jayant Chaudhary reached Tikonia and offered their respects at the ‘antim ardas’ ceremony of the five who were among the eight killed in the violent incident involving the convoy of Mr. Ajay Mishra. Mr. Tikait, who had on October 4 mediated between the protesting farmers and the UP government leading to the easing of tensions, on Tuesday said the andolan would go on till Mr. Ajay Mishra resigns, and demanded that he be arrested on charges of criminal conspiracy and sent to Agra jail along with his son to minimise chances of their influencing the case. The Samyukt Kisan Morcha (SKM) has planned a series of protests demanding action in the Lakhimpur Kheri violence. Spokesperson of the Bharatiya Kisan Union (BKU), which is a part of the SKM, said a rail roko has been planned for six hours on October 18. On October 15, the farmers would hold an effigy burning event and a big ‘panchayat’ would be held in Lucknow on October 26, Mr. Tikait said. The ashes of the farmers who were killed in Lakhimpur Kheri would be taken through other districts in urns and immersed in a river on October 24. Ms. Priyanka tweeted that the struggle would go on till the farmers and Kashyap “get justice”. Mr. Tikait questioned the treatment given to Ashish Mishra by the police, calling it a “red carpet arrest” and compared the remand to handing over a “bouquet” to him. Mr. Tikait was also questioned by several quarters for compromising “too soon” after the government had ceded to some of the farmers’ demands, including filing a murder case against Mr. Ashish Mishra. Many of the farmers who had arrived in Tikonia on October 4 were prepared for a long-drawn protest but had made their way back.

The Hindu

2021-10-13

Lucknow