After 8 deaths in Lakhimpur Kheri, India’s farmer-govt standoff set to explode in election-bound Uttar Pradesh
Since last November, several farmers’ organisations have been protesting against the three new farm laws terming them ‘anti-farmer’. However, the central government has been assuring them that these laws were in the interest of the farming community. The recent violent clashes in Lakhimpur Kheri are expected to further fuel the farmers’ protests.
Protesting farmers gather at Puranpur in Pilibhit, Uttar Pradesh. Pic: Social media
Four farmers were killed on Sunday, October 3, under the car of India’s state home minister and the car’s four occupants – three members of the Bharatiya Janata Party and their driver – were lynched to death with wooden rods.
These eight deaths in violent clashes in Lakhimpur Kheri district of election-bound Uttar Pradesh are expected to explode the farmer-government standoff over the three farm laws enacted by the Indian parliament last September.
Since last November, several farmers’ organisations have been protesting against these laws terming them ‘anti-farmer’. However, the central government has been assuring them that the new laws were in the interest of the farming community. Several rounds of discussions between the protesting farmers and the central government have failed to break the deadlock.
Also Read: 8 dead, including four farmers and 3 BJP workers, in Lakhimpur Kheri violence
The three controversial laws are the Farmers’ Produce Trade and Commerce (Promotion and Facilitation) Act, 2020; Essential Commodities (Amendment) Act, 2020; and Farmers (Empowerment and Protection) Agreement on Price Assurance and Farm Services Act, 2020. The farmers fear these laws will lead to the abolishment of the minimum support price (MSP) guaranteed by the government on select crops, and leave them at the mercy of big corporates.
Yesterday, on October 3, Uttar Pradesh’s Deputy Chief Minister Keshav Maurya was visiting the Union minister of State for Home Affairs Ajay Kumar Mishra’s village in Tikunia, Lakhimpur Kheri, when the clash between local farmers and the supporters of the political leaders occurred leading to eight deaths, including four farmers and three members of the BJP.
As the news of these deaths spread across the country, reports of sporadic protests and foot marches are pouring in from various cities. The state and district administrations in Uttar Pradesh are deploying large forces of police to maintain law and order. The state Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath has requested people not to pay heed to rumours and that guilty would be punished after proper investigation.
In Bagpat district the protesting farmers have come out on the road and blocked the Delhi-Yamunotri National Highway 709B.
Over 85 kilometres away, in Muzaffarnagar, in wake of the violent clashes in Lakhimpur Kheri, Naresh Tikait of Bhartiya Kisan Union called for an emergency panchayat and a decision was taken to organise farmers’ protests in western Uttar Pradesh on October 4. Rakesh Tikait, national spokesperson of the Bhartiya Kisan Union, is already on his way to Lakhimpur Kheri.
As per news reports, Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, Congress general secretary, whose car was stopped on way to Lakhimpur Kheri is now marching on foot to the clash site. Several other political leaders are expected to visit Lakhimpur Kheri.
Meanwhile, college students in Meerut took out a candle march to pay homage to the dead farmers, whereas a rally was organised by Punjab University students to protest violence against farmers in UPs Lakhimpur Kheri. In Ambala and Karnal cities of Haryana, candle marches was organised too.
Stones pelted, BJP workers lynched
Reportedly, the driver of the car carrying Union Minister Mishra’s son mowed down a group of farmers in Tikunia, Lakhimpur Kheri.
However, the minister has denied the presence of his son at the incident. “My son was not present at the place of Lakhimpur Kheri incident; have video evidence,” he was quoted as saying.
Also Read: Lakhimpur Kheri violence: “Four farmers dead, more than a dozen injured”: Yogendra Yadav
The minister also said that stones were pelted on BJP workers’ car which overturned and two persons came under it and died. The minister also claimed that BJP workers were lynched after this.
Demands of Samyukta Kisan Morcha
Yogendra Yadav, national president of Swaraj India, who is one of the nine-member coordination committee of the Samyukta Kisan Morcha that addressed the press conference today, informed that at least four farmers have been killed in today’s clashes and a dozen injured.
The dead include Lavpreet Singh (20 years old), Nakshatra Singh (60), Daljeet Singh (35), and Gurvinder Singh (19), said Yadav. Those who have been injured are undergoing treatment at the hospital.
In response to the violence today, Samyukat Kisan Morcha has put forth four demands. First, it has demanded the resignation of Ajay Kumar Mishra (Teni), the current Minister of State in the Ministry of Home affairs, Government of India. He represents the Kheri constituency of Uttar Pradesh and is a member of the Bharatiya Janata Party party.
Second, a case under Section 302 should be filed; and third, a sitting judge of the Supreme Court of India should investigate the incident, said Yadav.
Samyukat Kisan Morcha has called upon all farmers’ organisations across the country to protest at District Collector’s/DM’s/DC’s offices in all districts between 12 noon and 1 pm tomorrow, October 4, to press for the above three demands.
Gaon Connectin survey on farm laws
Last October, Gaon Connection conducted a face-to-face rapid survey on ‘The Indian Farmer’s Perception of the New Agri Laws’ across 53 districts in 16 states of India.
As per the findings of this survey, released as ‘The Rural Report 2: The Indian Farmer’s Perception of the New Agri Laws’, and available on www.ruraldata.in, every second farmer interviewed as part of the rural survey opposed the three new agri laws in the country, whereas 35 per cent supported these laws.
However, of the 52 per cent opposing the agri acts, over 36 per cent were not informed about the details of these laws. Similarly, of the 35 per cent supporting the agri laws, almost half, or 18 per cent, were not informed about them.
The biggest fear of these new agri laws among respondent farmers (57 per cent) is that they would now be forced to sell their crop at a lower price in the open market, while 33 per cent of farmers fear the government will end the system of minimum support price (MSP).
Further, 59 per cent respondent farmers want the MSP system to be made a mandatory law in India. A bigger proportion of marginal and small farmers (37 per cent), who own less than five acres (two hectares) of land, supports these agri laws, when compared to medium and large farmers (31 per cent).
For more details on the survey and its findings, and to download ‘The Rural Report 2: The Indian Farmer’s Perception of the New Agri Laws’ , log onto www.ruraldata.in