India News | Lakhimpur Violence: Will Start Protests if Union Minister is Not Sacked by Oct 11, Warns SKM

New Delhi, Oct 10 (PTI) The Samyukt Kisan Morcha on Sunday "warned" the Centre and the Uttar Pradesh government that its deadline to sack and arrest Minister of State for Home Ajay Mishra ends on October 11 failing which it will start phase-wise protests against the Lakhimpur Kheri violence.

Earlier this week, the SKM had issued an ultimatum, asking the government to act against MoS Home Ajay Mishra by October 11 failing which they would start a phase-wise programme to protest the Lakhimpur Kheri violence.

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"Justice clearly getting compromised because Ajay Mishra is in a minister's post in the Union government," said SKM, an umbrella body of 40 farmer unions spearheading the anti-farm laws agitation.

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"The SKM warns Government of India and Uttar Pradesh government that time is running out on the deadline of October 11 given by it. Ajay Mishra's arrest and dismissal are awaited in addition to arrests of all culprits in Lakhimpur Kheri farmers' massacre," it added.

Union minister Ajay Mishra's son, who was arrested in connection with the Lakhimpur Kheri violence, was remanded to judicial custody for 14 days and placed under Covid quarantine in the district jail in Lakhimpur Kheri, officials said on Sunday.

Four of the eight people who died in the Lakhimpur Kheri violence were farmers, allegedly knocked down by a vehicle carrying BJP workers. Angry farmers then allegedly lynched some people in the vehicles.

The other dead included two BJP workers and their driver.

Farmers have claimed that Ashish Mishra was in one of the vehicles, an allegation denied by him and his father who say they can produce evidence to prove he was at an event at that time.

The farmer unions had said if the government does not accept their demands by October 11, they will take out a 'Shaheed Kisan Yatra' from Lakhimpur Kheri with the ashes of the farmers who died.

The SKM had also given a call for a 'rail roko' protest across the country from 10 AM to 4 PM on October 18 and a 'mahapanchayat' in Lucknow on October 26.

"Planning, meetings are happening in various states to implement SKM call for action for justice in Lakhimpur Kheri farmers massacre," the SKM statement said on Sunday.

The SKM pointed out that Ajay Mishra, continuing as a minister in the Modi government and that too for Home Affairs, is completely "untenable and inconceivable".

"It is clear that the MoS Home had a role to play in promoting enmity and disharmony, in criminal conspiracy and murder, as well as in harbouring offenders and trying to obstruct justice and to tamper with/conceal evidence," the statement said.

(The above story is verified and authored by Press Trust of India (PTI) staff. PTI, India’s premier news agency, employs more than 400 journalists and 500 stringers to cover almost every district and small town in India.. The views appearing in the above post do not reflect the opinions of LatestLY)