Famers' meet in Lakhimpur Kheri today to decide 'next move'
Darpan News Desk IANS, 05 May, 2022 10:13 AM
Lakhimpur Kheri, May 5 (IANS) Lakhimpur Kheri will once again become the hotbed of controversy on Thursday when representatives of 25 farmer unions from Punjab, Haryana, Uttar Pradesh and Uttarakhand, along with Bhartiya Kisan Union (BKU) leader Rakesh Tikait, hold a key meeting in the district to discuss their "next move".
Farmers union members are also expected to meet local authorities seeking a speedy trial in the case.
Farmer leaders claim that MoS for Home Ajay Mishra Teni continues to remain in office despite past assurances from government of looking into the matter.
Teni's son Ashish Mishra is the main accused in the Kheri violence case. He had allegedly mowed down four farmers and a journalist.
Advocate Harjeet Singh, representing farmers in Kheri court, said, "Farm union leaders from four states will assemble in Kheri to support their farmer brothers lodged in jail for alleged lynching of three BJP workers. Their families said that 'officials are pressuring them in jail to change their statements against the minister's son'. Rakesh Tikait and other farm union representatives would be meeting the district magistrate and police chief."
Manjeet Dhaliwal, district president of a farm union in Shahjahanpur, said, "We demand immediate security for witnesses. Two attacks on witnesses have already taken place and there has been no action yet against the accused despite an FIR."
Further, a maha panchayat is also expected to be held in Kheri on May 10 -- the day that coincides with the next date of hearing in Lakhimpur Kheri violence case, when the court is expected to frame charges against Ashish and the other accused.
Terming the record-breaking figures a result of the good arrangements, he said the state government was committed to welfare of the farmers and would continue to take all possible steps to facilitate them.
When a foul smell emanated from the car in the morning, the ashram staff opened the vehicle and saw the body inside after which they informed the police. The police reached the spot, took custody of the body and sent it for post-mortem.
On January 12, the BSF had seized heroin, arms and ammunition along the India-Pakistan border in Punjab, allegedly being pushed in by Pakistani-based smugglers.
The fortified rice would be available throughout the TPDS under the National Food Security Act (NFSA), Integrated Child Development Services (ICDS), Pradhan Mantri Poshan Shakti Nirman-PM POSHAN [erstwhile Mid-Day Meal Scheme (MDM)] and Other Welfare Schemes (OWS), a cabinet statement said.
The accused, identified as Prince Emeka Lath (34), a permanent resident of Anambara in Nigeria, was presently residing in Tilak Nagar. He came to India on a tourist visa in January 2017, but even after his visa expired, he neither extended it nor returned to his country.
This was the eighth abstention at the UN by India on a matter involving the Russian invasion of Ukraine. Thursday's abstention by India was a defiance of Russia, which threatened those abstaining.
