SKM accuses BJP of unleashing violence : Rashtra News
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Samyukt Kisan Morcha, the umbrella body of farmer unions spearheading the ongoing farmers’ protests against Centre’s farm laws on Saturday accused the Bharatiya Janta Party (BJP) of attempting to dislodge the current agitation by resorting to violent measures, and their intent has been exposed in the backdrop of Uttar Pradesh’s Lakhimpur Kheri incident.
Senior SKM leader Darshan Pal said that the Lakhimpur Kheri violence should not been seen in isolation as the incident is a part of larger conspiracy against farmers’ and the ongoing struggle. “The Lakhimpur incident is an attempt to create an atmosphere to terrorise people and to shut people’s voice. The SKM has stood firmly against this approach and will continue to raise the voice,” he said at a press conference in New Delhi.
Joginder Singh, president of Bharatiya Kisan Union (Ugrahan), one of the SKM constituent said that ongoing farmer’s agitation is going on peacefully, but BJP governments – be it at the Centre or in Uttar Pradesh have been attempting various tactics to dislodge the movement.
“The BJP had been repeatedly trying to align the movement with one or the other with the sole aim of discrediting it. Sometimes they (BJP) associated the movement with ‘Khalistanis’, then with ‘Pakistan-China’ and then tried to label us as anti-national, but all their attempts have failed. Now, in the last few months they have started to play new game, which is resorting to violence, and this is dangerous,” said Mr. Singh.
“Even though the BJP is involving in violence, we will reply in a peaceful manner, which is strength of our movement. Our agitation will continue until our demands are fulfilled. There’s no question of relenting now,” he added.
Mr. Singh said Union Minister of State Ajay Mishra should be immediately sacked and arrested. His son, Ashish Mishra should also be arrested without any delay.
“We will observe October 12 as ‘Shaheed Kisan Diwas’ and we appealed to the farmers all over the country to join the ‘antim ardas’ (final rites) of the farmers, who died in Lakhimpur Kheri at Tikonia,” he said.
SKM’s senior leader Yogendra Yadav said “If the demands are not accepted by October 11, then the SKM will launch a nationwide protest program. After the ‘antim ardas’ on October 12, a ‘Shaheed Kisan Yatra’ will be taken out from Lakhimpur Kheri by taking the ‘asthi’ (ashes) of martyr farmers in each district of Uttar Pradesh and each state of the country. “
On Dasara festival on October 15, the effigies of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Home Minister Amit Shah and that of local BJP leaders will be burnt. A ‘rail roko’ programme will be held across the country on October 18. Besides, on October 26, a ‘Mahapanchayat’ will be organised in Lucknow to protest against the Lakhimpur incident, he added.
( News Source :Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by Rashtra News staff and is published from a www.thehindu.com feed.)