A 72-hour demonstration against the Center will begin today in Lakhimpur Kheri, Uttar Pradesh, with participation from close to 10,000 Punjabi farmers. The Samyukt Kisan Morcha called for the protest to "seek justice" in the Lakhimpur Kheri violence case.
Manjit Singh Rai, the president of Bharti Kisan Union (Doaba), expected that 10,000 Punjabi farmers will take part in the protest. Some people are taking trains, while others are driving on their own, according to Mr. Rai. On Wednesday, the farmers departed for Uttar Pradesh.
Farmers are calling for the removal of Union Minister of State Ajay Mishra, whose son Ashish was detained in connection with the murders of eight people in Lakhimpur Kheri in October of last year, including four farmers.
Ashish Mishra, who was allegedly seated in one of the cars that crushed the farmers to death, had been granted bail as of July of this year by the Allahabad High Court.
The farmers who are protesting also want the cases against them that were filed during their year-long strike against the Center's farm laws, which have since been repealed.
They also demand legal protection for the minimum support price of crops and compensation for the families of farmers who lost their lives during the same protest.
This three-day protest will also include participation from senior farmer leaders like Rakesh Tikait, Darshan Pal, and Joginder Singh Ugrahan.
Lakhimpur Kheri Violence
On October 3, 2021, violence in Lakhimpur Kheri led to the deaths of eight people, including four farmers and a journalist.
In Lakhimpur Kheri, farmers were protesting against the three agricultural rules that had been revoked the previous year when a fast-moving car drove down five innocent people and injured 13 more.
Later, the driver of the car and two BJP activists had been killed by an outraged mob. The primary accused in the case is Ashish Mishra, son of Union Minister of State for Home Ajay Mishra.
