Samyukta Kisan Morcha (SKMAn umbrella body of farmer unions said it would launch a series of protests across India if their demands were not met.
Addressing a press conference, SKM leaders said that Union Minister of State for Home Ajay Mishra Teni should be sacked from the cabinet and arrested for spreading disharmony, murder and conspiracy.
He said that his son Ashish Mishra, also known as Monu, and his associates should also be arrested immediately.
Bharatiya Kisan Union leader Rakesh Tikait said he does not consider those who killed BJP workers in Uttar Pradesh’s Lakhimpur Kheri as criminals as they only reacted to the protesters driving SUVs.
“Two BJP workers killed as four car convoys run over in Lakhimpur Kheri” farmers An action is a reaction. I do not consider the people involved in the killings to be criminals,” Tikait said in response to a question asked during a press conference.
Terming the Lakhimpur violence as a “pre-planned conspiracy”, the SKM said if these demands were not met by October 11, it would launch a series of protests across the country.
Lakhimpur Kheri Violence Live Updates
On October 12, SKM is planning to launch a “Shaheed Kisan Yatra” which will be taken out from Lakhimpur Kheri carrying the mortal remains of the deceased farmers.
Then on October 15, the SKM said that it would burn effigies of BJP leaders on the occasion of Dussehra.
Rail Roko protests will also be organized across the country on October 18 from 10 am to 4 pm.
The Morcha is planning to organize a Mahapanchayat in Lucknow on October 26 to protest against this incident.
Union minister’s son appeared for questioning
Meanwhile, MoS Mishra’s son Ashish appeared for questioning before the SIT on Saturday in connection with the incident.
Ashish Mishra appeared before the Special Investigation Team (SIT) before 11 a.m. on Friday after coming for questioning, the time mentioned in the second summons to him the previous day.
Punjab Congress leader Navjot Singh Sidhu ended his “silent protest” after the minister’s son came for questioning.
The Punjab Congress unit chief had started his “silent dharna” outside the house of local journalist Ram Kashyap in Nighasan tehsil from 6.15 pm on Friday. The strike ended at around 11.30 am on Saturday
Kashyap was also killed in this incident on 3 October.
Four farmers were crushed by an SUV in Lakhimpur Kheri when a group agitating against the Centre’s three new agricultural laws demonstrated against the visit of UP Deputy Chief Minister Keshav Prasad Maurya.
The farmers’ claim that Mishra’s son Ashish was in the SUV that was dropped on the protesters was strongly denied by the Union minister.
Angry protesters allegedly thrashed two BJP workers and a driver, while a local journalist was also killed in the violence.
(with inputs from PTI)
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