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 rally was organised by the Samyukt Kisan Morcha to “demand justice” in the Lakhimpur Kheri violence case.
Manjit Singh Rai, the president of Bharti Kisan Union (Doaba), predicted that 10,000 Punjabi farmers will take part in the demonstration. 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 dismissal 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against them that were filed during their year-long strike against the Center’s farm legislation, which has since been repealed.
They also demand legal protection for the minimum support price of crops and recompense for the families of farmers who lost their lives during the same protest.
This three-day demonstration will also include participation from senior farmer leaders including Rakesh Tikait, Darshan Pal, and Joginder Singh Ugrahan.
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