BKU, SKU to resume farmers’ protest in Lakhimpur Kheri today

Both the Bhartiya Kisan Union-Tikait (BKU-Tikait) and the Samyukt Kisan Morcha (SKM) have announced that they will hold a 75-hour sit-in at Rajapur Krishi-Utpadan Mandi Samiti in Lakhimpur Kheri from Thursday to seek justice for those killed in October violence last year.

On Oct. 3, 2021, when protesters were walking on the road in Lakhimpur Kheri, they were hit and ran over from behind by a speeding SUV car and two other vehicles in a row. The protesters torched the vehicles and killed three of its occupants, while the driver of the third car fled the site. Eight people, including four farmers, were killed in the violence that erupted soon after.

Their other demands include the withdrawal of cases registered against them during the stir against the Centre’s now-withdrawn farm laws, compensation to families of farmers who died during the year-long protest and legal guarantee for the minimum support price of crops.

Bhudev Sharma, national organisation secretary of BKU-Tikait, said the farmers would demand dismissal of Union minister of state for home Ajay Kumar Mishra ‘Teni’ in connection with Tikunia violence of October 3, 2021, in which his son Ashish Mishra is the key accused.

Other demands

He added their demands also included withdrawal of cases against the four farmers, who are in jail in connection with their alleged involvement in the Tikunia violence case. Already, farmers from Punjab, Haryana, Uttarakhand and various other parts of Uttar Pradesh have started arriving in Lakhimpur to participate in the demonstration.

Apart from BKU national president Naresh Tikait and national spokesperson Rakesh Tikait, Darshan Singh Pal, Joginder Singh Ugrahan, Yogendra Yadav and other leaders of the Samyukt Kisan Morcha will participate in the sit-in.