Members of various political parties and student organisations staged demonstrations on Monday near the BJP headquarters and outside the Uttar Pradesh Bhawan here to express their anger against the incident in Lakhimpur Kheri where violent clashes left four farmers dead a day earlier. The police said 95 people, including 25 women, were detained at the UP Bhawan. Eight people died and several others were injured in UP’s Lakhimpur Kheri on Sunday in the bloodiest clash since the farmers’ protest over the Centre’s agri laws began last year.
Four of the dead were farmers, allegedly knocked down by vehicles driven by BJP workers travelling to welcome Uttar Pradesh Deputy Chief Minister Keshav Prasad Maurya to an event in the area. Police have also registered a murder case against Ashish Mishra, the son of Union Minister of State for Home Ajay Mishra, and several others over the death of the farmers. The minister, however, has denied the allegations that his son was in one of the cars. The workers of Delhi Congress and Indian Youth Congress also held protests against the detention of Priyanka Gandhi Vadra in Uttar Pradesh.
Priyanka Gandhi, who tried to reach Lakhimpur, was detained, the party claimed. The leaders and workers of Delhi Congress headed by party president Anil Kumar staged the protest near the BJP headquarters on DDU Marg here.
Indian Youth Congress (IYC) activists, including its president Srinivas BV, staged another demonstration at the UP Bhawan here. Addressing the protesters near BJP headquarters, Kumar said the “murder of farmers at Lakhimpur Kheri amounts to murder of democracy and the Congress will not allow the fight of the farmers seeking justice to be suppressed.” Delhi Congress will hold demonstrations at BJP district offices to seek justice for the farmers who were killed in Lakhimpur Kheri, he said.
The IYC also took out a candle march and paid tributes to the farmers killed in Lakhimpur Kheri. IYC national president, Srinivas BV, said the incident of Lakhimpur Kheri is “very frightening” and alleged that the the BJP government is attacking the democracy and crushing rights. He also said no one can ever forget the BJP’s atrocities on farmers. “The killers of farmers will have to pay a heavy price for this,” he said. Congress-affiliated National Students Union of India (NSUI) also organized a candle march seeking justice for the farmers who lost their lives in the incident. “Through this candle march, we request the central government to take the strictest action against those who attacked the farmers. “Union Minister of State for Home should also be sacked immediately and his son should be sent to jail as soon as possible and all the demands of the farmers should be accepted immediately,” the students’ organisation said in a statement.
Left-affiliated All India Students’ Association (AISA) along with other organisations called for demonstrations at UP Bhavan in Delhi, demanding immediate arrest of Union minister’s son and an end to attacks on farmers, a statement said. “As soon as the protesters gathered, Delhi Police violently cracked down on all, injuring several and detaining those present at UP Bhavan. Some activists, including AISA Delhi state secretary Neha who marched from the Malcha Market towards UP Bhavan, also faced violence, manhandling and detention. We demand immediate resignation of the UP chief minister,” they said.
The protesters were released from Mandir Marg police station at 4 pm. Security was beefed up outside UP Bhawan in view of the protest.
Voicing resentment over Priyanka Gandhi’s detention, Srinivas said, “Expressing condolences has also become a crime under Modi government.” He said Priyanka Gandhi is now “the biggest target” for the entire UP Police,” claiming that “she was arrested despite having Z+ security category and without any warrant.” Rahul Rao, national media in-charge of IYC said many Youth Congress members were detained during the protest. Neta D’Souza, president of Mahila Congress, IYC general secretary Bhaiya Pawar and many other leaders attended the protest. According to the police, between 12 noon and 2 pm, members of eight organisations and political parties held protests near the Uttar Pradesh Bhawan. “Even after repeated warnings regarding imposition of 144 CrPC in the area and DDMA guidelines, when the protesters did not leave the area, they were detained and taken to Mandir Marg police station,” a senior officer said.
A total of 70 men and 25 women were detained, which included 27 from the Indian Youth Congress, 15 from the Students’ Federation of India, and 11 from AISA, he said, adding, that appropriate legal action is being taken against them.
Read all the Latest News , Breaking News and IPL 2022 Live Updates here.
Comments
0 comment