Farmers’ unions including several other women’s, students’ and trade unions staged a protest in Karnataka’s Bengaluru condemning the violence that broke out in UP’s Lakhimpur Kheri on Sunday.
During the farmers’ protest, eight people were killed in the violence that erupted ahead of a visit by Deputy Chief Minister Keshav Prasad Maurya. Four farmers and four Bhartiya Janata Party workers were among those killed.
Angry farmers set two SUVs on fire, claiming that Union Minister of State for Home Ajay Mishra’s son drove into the protesting crowd, in the clash near Banbirpur. So far, two FIRs have been registered in the incident.
The protesters in Bengaluru demanded that the union minister’s son, Ashish, should be punished for the act and also demanded the immediate resignation of Ajay Mishra from his position. Further, they also demanded a proper investigation into the incident.
State president of the Centre of Indian Trade Unions (CITU) Varalakshmi condemned the move and demanded that Ajay Mishra’s immediate resignation from his post. She said that the Union government must immediately resolve the issue to prevent such incidents. She further warned the Centre that the movement will take “other forms” if the issue does not get solved.
Meanwhile, Union Minister Ajit Mishra refuted the claim that his son was in the car and said he had video to proof that both of them were at the venue of the Deputy Chief Minister’s event.
Prashant Kumar, Additional Director General, Law and Order, who was in Lakhimpur Kheri, added that two FIRs from both sides had been registered in connection with the incident, the bloodiest yet in the prolonged farmers’ protest against the Centre’s contentious agriculture laws that began last year. It was confirmed that Union minister’s Ashish Mishra was among those booked.
The UP government said that a retired High Court judge will probe into the Lakhimpur Kheri violence. It also announced to give Rs 45 lakh compensation to the farmers’ families, who were killed in the violence. The state futher said it will give Rs 10 lakh to those injured in the incident, Additional Chief Secretary, Home, Awanish Awasthi said.
“An agreement has been reached with the farmers. The government will give Rs 45 lakh to the family members of the four farmers who were killed in the violence on Sunday. Besides, one member from their families will be given a government job at the local level,” Awasthi said.
(Inputs from PTI)
