Tikait announces agitation if Teni is not dismissed, arrested
Darpan News Desk IANS, 12 Oct, 2021 11:18 AM
Lakhimpur Kheri (UP), Oct 12 (IANS) Bharatiya Kisan Union leader Rakesh Tikait has said that the farmers would launch a major agitation if union minister of state for Home Affairs Ajay Mishra Teni, who is charged under 120B IPC, is not dismissed and arrested.
"The minister and his son must be lodged in separate barracks in Agra - not in Lakhimpur jail - because they are guilty of murder, the minister must resign and be arrested," he said.
The minister and his son are accused in the October 3 incident in which nine persons, including four farmers, were mowed down by SUVs. The minister's son Ashish Mishra has already been arrested.
He announced that effigies will be burnt in districts on October 15 and the places would be decided later.
"On October 24, the ashes of the deceased would be immersed and then a panchayat would be held in Lucknow on October 26 in which the future course of action will be decided," he said, while speaking at the 'antim ardas' of the deceased on Tuesday.
He said that the 'antim ardas' was to pray for the peace of the departed souls and there should be no politics here.
"But we are not going to rest until strict punishment is ensured for those guilty of mowing down farmers. When we spoke to the government representatives, we had made our demands clear - the arrest of the minister and his son and other accused. There is going to be no laxity on this issue," he said.
He termed the arrest of Ashish Mishra, son of the minister, as a 'red carpet arrest', which was not acceptable to farmers.
Tikait did not allow any political leaders to address the gathering and said that it was not a political event but a 'pious' event.
Its convenor and founder K.C. Singh, a former envoy to the United Arab Emirates, and Iran, said the manch wants to focus on challenges facing Punjab today and take the people's views.
Shiromani Akali Dal President Sukhbir Singh Badal on Wednesday hailed the victory of his party in the Delhi Sikh Gurdwara Management Committee (DSGMC) elections as "a forceful referendum of the Khalsa Panth in favour of the panthic identity and religious commitment of the party".
Ranjit Singh, a former follower of Ram Rahim, was shot dead by four assailants on July 10, 2002, in Kurukshetra after he allegedly "raised his voice" against the self-styled godman, who is currently lodged at the high-security Sunaria jail in Rohtak, 250 kms from state capital Chandigarh.
Bharatiya Janata Party chief J P Nadda on Tuesday asked the Congress national leadership to clarify their stand on whether they support the remarks on Kashmir and Pakistan made by party leaders in Punjab. Nadda said that the silence of the Congress leadership will be seen as being implicit to such objectionable remarks.
The farmers union leaders had earlier pointed out that Punjab had failed to hike sugarcane SAP in proportion to Haryana over this period, causing fiscal losses to them.
The Punjab Congress leaders who have distanced themselves from the so-called festering revolt in the party are: Kuldeep Vaid, Dalvir Singh Goldie, Santokh Singh, Angad Singh, Raja Warring and Gurkirat Singh Kotli, all MLAs, and Bhalaipur Ajit Singh Mofar, a former MLA.
