'Fascism', 'Jallianwala Bagh', 'Hitler': Lakhimpur Kheri farmers' killing leads to strong reactions by Opposition leaders

From Priyanka and Rahul Gandhi of Congress to Tamil Nadu CM MK Stalin and West Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee, Opposition leaders across India have strongly condemned the killing of farmers by a convoy that allegedly included the son of a minister and the UP government's decision to stop political leaders from entering Sitapur. Here are some reactions you don't want to miss.

Updated on:

07 Oct 2021, 6:41 am

2 min read

PRIYANKA GANDHI (Congress general secretary): “What happened shows that the government is trying to crush and finish off the farmers. This country is not a fiefdom of those who believe in BJP’s ideology, it belongs to the farmers. Remember when you have to use force, then the government and the police have lost their moral authority.”

RAHUL GANDHI (Congress MP): 'Farmers are being mowed down by a jeep, they are being murdered, and the name of a union minister and his son is coming up in the Lakhimpur Kheri incident. There used to be democracy, there is dictatorship in India now. Politicians cannot go to Uttar Pradesh. We are being told since yesterday that we cannot go to Uttar Pradesh.'

SANJAY RAUT (Shiv Sena MP): 'Farmers have been run over allegedly by the car of a minister's son. Where does such cruelty come from? Does the BJP have a new strategy of crushing farmers and stifling the voices of opposition leaders who show solidarity with them?'

SUKHBIR SINGH BADAL (SAD president): 'I urge UP government to rise above political compulsions & book BJP Minister's son who crushed 4 farmers to death in Lakhimpur Kheri. SAD also demands a judicial probe & assurance from centre that farmers will not be victimised for protesting peacefully against the 3 farm laws.'

SIDDARAMAIAH (Congress leader): “This reminds me of the Jallianwala Bagh massacre…killing of four innocent farmers. The Modi government is an anti-farmer government… The Modi government is more like a Hitler government.'

MAMATA BANERJEE (West Bengal CM): “This is a very sad and unfortunate incident. I have no words to condemn this incident. They (BJP government) don't believe in democracy, they only want autocracy. Is this 'Ram rajya'? No, this is 'killing rajya''

D RAJA (CPI general secretary): “The voice of the farmers of the country cannot be silenced now. Blood of the bread-winners of the country was spilled on the streets. This cannot go unanswered. The government will have to repeal the farm laws and bring the perpetrators of violence in Lakhimpur Kheri to book.”

RAKESH TIKAIT (BKU leader): 'People have several videos that will come up as soon as the net is restored. The district administration has said they will arrest the minister's son in a week. If it does not happen, we will assemble at one place on the day of 'bhog' of all four farmers, when it is held in eight to ten days.'

ASHOK GEHLOT (Rajasthan CM): 'This type of behaviour in democracy shows the fascist tendency of the BJP government. It should be condemned by all parties'.

BHUBESH BAGHEL (Chhattisgarh CM): 'It is unfortunate that when the Amrit Mahotsav is being celebrated, farmers are being killed by those in power. They are not being arrested, while those who want to wipe the tears of the oppressed and seek justice for them are arrested. Anything is possible in the Yogi Adityanath government.'

SHARAD PAWAR (NCP chief): 'Whether it is government at the Centre or in Uttar Pradesh, they are not sensitive at all. The kind of situation that was created in Jallianwala Bagh, we are witnessing a similar situation in Uttar Pradesh. Today or tomorrow, they will have to pay a heavy price for it.'

MK STALIN (Tamil Nadu CM): 'The attack on the UP farmers protesting against the farm laws is highly condemnable and I demand an impartial, high-level investigation into the death of farmers. Perpetrators of this cruel act must be punished legally.'

AKHILESH YADAV (Samajwadi Party chief): 'There were cruel rulers in the world but in the BJP regime, the voice of democracy is being crushed. In the nearby Lakhimpur district, Sikhs and farmers were crushed and killed. Never has such an incident taken place in the world.'

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