BENGALURU: The Congress, the Karnataka State Committee of Socialist Unity Centre of India (Communist) and several farmers’ organisations in the state slammed the Union and Uttar Pradesh governments over the Lakhimpur Kheri incident in which four farmers were killed, allegedly after being hit by Union Minister of State for Home Ajay Kumar Mishra’s son’s car. They have demanded Mishra’s removal from the Union Cabinet. Three BJP workers, Mishra’s driver and a journalist were also killed.
Senior Congress leaders, including KPCC president D K Shivakumar, Opposition leader Siddaramaiah, party state working presidents and legislators took out a torchlight procession from the party office on Queen’s Road up to Raj Bhavan to protest against the incident and the UP police detaining senior Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi Vadra while she was on her way to meet the dead farmers’ families. They submitted a memorandum to Governor Thaawarchand Gehlot, addressed to the President, seeking action against those responsible for the farmers’ deaths.
Shivakumar said Mishra and UP Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath should take moral responsibility for the incident and resign. There is no protection for women and farmers in the country and what happened in UP is an assault on farmers across the country, he said. The Congress leaders said Priyanka Gandhi should be released immediately. “What is wrong with meeting the families of the farmers and consoling them?” Shivakumar thundered.
He said it is not just the fight to defend farmers’ rights, but also democracy and the party district units will stage protests on Tuesday and Wednesday in all the districts. The Congress leaders also said they will extend full support to the farmers protesting against the new farm laws. Meanwhile, the Karnataka Sugarcane Growers’ Association said a case should be registered against the Union Minister’s son and his associates and they should be arrested. Association president Kurubur Shantakumar termed the Lakhimpur Kheri incident as an attempt to suppress the farmers’ protest. On Monday, members of various farmers’ associations staged protests across the state.
State Secretary, SUCI(C), Karnataka, K Uma, demanded severe punishment and adequate compensation to the families of the farmers. “We urge people to come forward and raise their voice of protest and observe protest day on October 5 across the country.” she said. Members of Swaraj India, Bengaluru, along with other progressive organisations under the Samyuktha Horata Karnataka banner, too staged a protest at Mysuru Bank Circle in the city on Monday against the Lakhimpur Kheri incident.
Traffic was thrown out of gear owing to the protest along KG Road and Palace Road. The agitators tried to block the road around KR Circle, but the police prevented them. They raised slogans against the Union Government. Tension prevailed for a while following arguments between them and the police. More than 2,000 protesters, including members of Karnataka Janashakthi, All India Kisan Sangharsh Coordination Committee, Dalit Sangharsha Samiti, Welfare Party of India, and others were part of the protest.