The week-long farmer protests in Lakhimpur began over a comment by Union Minister Ajay Mishra Teni on September 25 and took a violent turn on Sunday, ending with the death of eight persons, including three BJP workers and a driver who were allegedly lynched.
News18 has gathered that the protests first began over the minister’s comment in Sampurannagar area of Lakhimpur on September 25 when he reportedly said “farmers should reform themselves or they will be reformed”. This was after he was shown black flags by some farmers while en route to a function. Farmers had since been protesting against Teni, who said his statement had been twisted by the farmers.
Things came to a head on Sunday when Uttar Pradesh Deputy Chief Minister Keshav Prasad Maurya was to arrive in Lakhimpur to inaugurate a number of government projects in the presence of Teni. Farmers since Sunday morning occupied a helipad where Maurya was to land on a chopper, making the deputy CM arrive in the district by road.
Maurya and Teni inaugurated the projects in Lakhimpur around noon before deciding to head for the Union minister’s native village, Banvirpur, for a wrestling championship that the minister had organised. Before this could happen, around 3pm, enroute at a place called Tikunia, an incident happened that has made Lakhimpur a tinderbox.
Conflicting Versions
The farmers claim that Teni’s son Ashish Kumar Monu was in a vehicle with armed men that deliberately ran over farmers in Tikunia when they were stopped. Four farmers died in this incident, they say, adding that Monu managed to escape. Farmers have lodged a complaint against the minister and his son and are sitting on protest with the four bodies at the Agrasen Inter College in the area. The two vehicles were burnt by the farmers.
However, the minister has said it was an “accident”. He says BJP workers in vehicles were going to receive the deputy CM when they were attacked with stones by farmers, one of the drivers got injured and lost control of the vehicle which ran over the farmers. The minister says the driver and three BJP workers in the vehicle were then pulled out by farmers and lynched to death. The minister says his son was not present in the vehicle or at the spot.
Video footage has now emerged of the BJP workers being beaten to death by the irate farmers at Tikunia. The UP Police is treading on the matter carefully and analysing the available footage and taking statements of the concerned to investigate the matter. The visit of politicians has been barred from Lakhmipur district given the tense situation and people have been advised not to listen to rumours.
Political Fight
Politicians are still making a beeline to Lakhimpur despite curbs and the matter could escalate ahead of the Uttar Pradesh elections in a few months. Congress General Secretary in charge of UP, Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, who reached Lucknow on Sunday night, managed to leave for Lakhimpur before being detained in Sitapur by the police.
Heavy police presence has been ensured outside the house of former chief minister Akhilesh Yadav in Lucknow ahead of his announced plan to visit Lakhimpur on Monday. BSP leader Satish Chandra Mishra and former SP leader Shivpal Singh Yadav have also not been allowed to leave their houses in Lucknow as they planned to proceed to Lakhimpur as well.
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