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.
The activists of Punjab Congress will walk towards Lakhimpur Kheri in Uttar Pradesh if Priyanka Gandhi is not released and the Union Minister's son accused of murder not arrested, said state party President Navjot Sidhu on Tuesday.
Referring to police action against protesting farmers in Congress-ruled Rajasthan, the BJP leader said, "Congress leaders who are very keen to visit Lakhimpur Kheri have not uttered a single word against police lathicharge on farmers in Hanumangarh, Rajasthan."
Comparisons are on in social media whether this arrest could change the Congress fortunes as after Indira Gandhi's arrest and later in the election in 1980 the Congress returned with a thumping majority.
During the 45-minute long meeting with the Home Minister, Channi also discussed the security situation of the state and demanded that the border must be sealed properly to effectively prevent the smuggling of weapons from Pakistan.
It is the largest agricultural protest to take place in India and others from around the world have also joined in, tens of thousands of farmers have camped for months on major highways to New Delhi to oppose the three laws.
