Lakhimpur farmers want case to be shifted out of UP
Darpan News Desk IANS, 31 Mar, 2022 11:20 AM
Lakhimpur Kheri, March 31 (IANS) The families of four farmers who were mowed down allegedly by Union Minister Ajay Mishra Teni's son's convoy during the October 3 violence last year, are now demanding that the case be moved out of Uttar Pradesh.
Talking to reporters on Thursday, Gursevwak Singh, the elder brother of Gurwinder Singh, who was one of the four farmers who died, said: "The case should be transferred to Delhi. We all know that the proceedings are being influenced here. No action was taken against the union minister despite his video threatening farmers having gone viral.
"The Uttar Pradesh government's attitude is different when it comes to criminals who are from their own party. There is no scope of justice in Uttar Pradesh. That is evident from the way an eyewitness was thrashed and his case was closed by the local police."
Satnam Singh, the father of 19-year-old Lovepreet Singh, who was also killed in the violence, said: "Despite having all the evidence, we sometimes think that we are fighting a lost battle. We all know that the state is trying to save the accused. The Minister is openly giving statements saying he proved his 'innocence' by ensuring the BJP's win in Lakhimpur Kheri."
Jagdeep Singh, son of Nachattar Singh who was seen tossed in the air by the speeding SUV, said: "There is no way we can get justice in Uttar Pradesh. The main accused was given bail easily despite the SIT submitting evidence in court calling the incident 'premeditated' and 'not an act of negligence'. It was one of the most heinous crimes in the country.
"We are now going to approach the apex court to get the case transferred to Delhi or elsewhere to ensure justice for farmers."
Senior advocate Dushyant Dave, representing the farmers' group, submitted before a bench headed by justice Sanjay Kishan Kaul that road blockade would end, if permission is granted to continue the protest either at Ramlila Maidan or Jantar Mantar.
Farmers protesting on the Ghazipur border at Delhi for the last 11 months against the three farm laws enacted by the Centre last year, have started to open the service lane to ease the traffic. They said it is the police who have closed the road and not them. Farmers belonging to the Bharatiya Kisan Union (BKU) on Thursday started removing the tents built on the service road to start the traffic movement.
Two days after announcing to launch his own political outfit to serve the interests of the people, two-time Punjab Chief Minister Amarinder Singh on Thursday slammed AICC general secretary Harish Rawat, saying the party has damaged its own interests by not trusting him and giving the party into the hands of an 'unstable person' like Navjot Sidhu.
The data comes on a day when India reached the milestone of 100 crore vaccinations, and demonstrates that lack of vaccine hesitancy has played a big role in achieving this number.
Senior advocate A.M. Singhvi, representing Singh, submitted his client has been in jail for the past two years, and added that his custody is not required, as two charge sheets have already been filed.
Supreme Court on Wednesday pulled up the Uttar Pradesh government for delay in recording statements of witnesses before a judicial magistrate in the Lakhimpur Kheri violence case, where eight persons were killed, and also told the state government to dispel the impression that it is dragging its feet in the matter.
