Farmers Movement Archive

Akhilesh targets BJP over Lakhimpur Kheri incident

Samajwadi Party (SP) chief Akhilesh Yadav on Saturday accused the Bharatiya Janata Party (of trying to instil fear among people and alleged that its supporters mowed down farmers in Lakhimpur Kheri last month.“The BJP people know only two things — jeep chadhana aur jeebh chalana (running people over with jeep and making tall claims),” he said.Akhilesh Yadav was addressing a public meeting organised by his alliance partner Suheldev Bhartiya Samaj Party (SBSP) at Sandila in Hardoi district.Eight people, including four farmers, were killed in the Lakhimpur Kheri violence on October 3. The farmers were mowed by vehicles allegedly carrying BJP workers. Police have arrested Union minister of state (MoS) for home Ajay Mishra’s son Ashish Mishra in connection with the death of the farmers. Both the minister and his son have repeatedly denied involvement in the incident.Akhilesh Yadav further said, “Farmers had come out to demand the withdrawal of three farm laws and BJP’s MoS for home and his supporters crushed them under the tyres of a jeep.”“They think they can do politics by terrorising people. The British ruled by dividing and they think they can rule by making people afraid. This time, no one will be afraid and we will wipe them out,” he said referring to the 2022 assembly polls.On coming to power, the SP chief said his party will work for the poor, backwards and farmers. He also hit out at the BJP over creation of jobs. Electricity became expensive as no new power generation plant was started, he said. Yadav assured that the power sector will be reformed if his SP forms the next government in the state.Attempting to touch local sentiments, Akhilesh Yadav said the business of making the famous Sandila laddoos will flourish again once the SP forms the government in the state.“The kind of crisis the government has created, no one is able to offer laddoos to anyone. The business of Sandila laddoos, too, got badly hit under this government and once the SP government returns, the Sandila laddoos work will flourish again,” said Akhilesh, referring to the renowned delicacy of Sandila.Addressing the rally earlier, SBSP president Om Prakash Rajbhar said the price of fuel was slashed after the BJP lost bypolls in several states recently. “This time, if you defeat the BJP in Uttar Pradesh, then the price of petrol and diesel will be halved,” he said. He also promised a caste census if the SP-led alliance comes to power in the state. Earlier, the SBSP had joined hands with the SP.In the 2017 UP assembly elections, Rajbhar’s party had tied up with the BJP. Rajbhar was sworn in as a cabinet minister in the state government. Before the 2019 Lok Sabha elections, Rajbhar broke the alliance with the BJP.

Hindustan Times

28-11-2021

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