Will Ask People not to Vote BJP in UP if Centre Doesn’t Meet Demands by Jan 31: SKM
Image Courtesy: Haryana-Punjab Kesari
New Delhi; After a day-long marathon meet, the Samyukta Kisan Morcha on Saturday announced that it would launch Mission Uttar Pradesh from February 1 if the Narendra Modi government does not deliver on its promises by January 31.
After a year-long agitation, the farmers’ collective had lifted the protest at the borders of the national capital as the government assured them that it would ask state governments to withdraw the cases registered against farmers during the agitation, provide compensation to the kin of deceased farmers at protest sites and form a committee on minimum support price (MSP) with clear terms of references.
Prime Minister Modi, in his address to the nation on November 19, had announced that the government would repeal the three contentious farm laws.
Addressing a press conference at Singhu border, Ashok Dhawale, President, All India Kisan Sabha (AIKS) said that the SKM took note of inaction by the Centre on its promises and it would wait for any action till January 31.
“If it does not initiate something, we will launch our Mission Uttar Pradesh and Mission Uttarakhand in which we will ask the people to not to vote for Bharatiya Janata Party.” He said farmers would observe Vada Khilafi Diwas on January 31, where the unions would burn the effigies of PM Modi at district and tehsil headquarters across the country.
Dhawale said Rakesh Tikait, spokesperson, Bharatiya Kisan Union (Tikait), would visit the families of victims of the Lakhimpur Kheri violence on a three-day visit from January 23. The veteran leader added that the Uttar Pradesh government had registered FIRs against the victims of Lakhimpur Kheri killings whereas it was “protecting” the accused, which included the son of a Union cabinet minister, Ajay Mishra Teni.
“The charge sheet by the Special Investigation Team (SIT) concluded that Ashish Mishra, son of Union Minister of State for Home Affairs Ajay Mishra Teni, proves that not only did he plan the carnage but was very much present at the site,” he said.
The SIT is probing the Lakhimpur Kheri violence, which claimed eight lives, including four farmers and a journalist, who were mowed down by an SUV allegedly driven by the minister’s son and other local BJP members.
The SIT had urged the chief judicial magistrate to replace lesser charges in the case, like causing death by negligence, with attempt to murder, saying that it was a "pre-planned conspiracy causing death".
The SIT also urged the CJM to replace IPC Sections 279 (rash driving/riding), 338 (causing grievous injuries by negligence) and 304A (causing death by a rash and negligent act) with IPC section 307 (attempt to murder) among others in the case related to the October 3 violence, in which four farmers were among those killed. It retained IPC sections 302 (murder), 147 (rioting), 148 (rioting, armed with a deadly weapon), 149 (every member of unlawful assembly guilty of offence committed in prosecution of common object) and 120B (criminal conspiracy).
The SIT also recommended promulgation of IPC 326 (voluntarily causing injuries by dangerous weapons), 34 (acts by several persons with common intentions) and sections 3/25/30 of the Arms Act in warrants of the 13 accused.
The accused have been arrested in connection with FIR number 219 which pertains to the death of the four farmers and a local journalist in Tikunia.
On Saturday, Tikait said he would meet the victims and “launch a permanent agitation until the minister in question is sacked and FIRs are withdrawn.”
Solidarity with CTUs
Yudhveer Singh of BKU (Tikait) said the SKM would extend its solidarity to central trade unions which have called nationwide strike on February 22-23 asking the Centre to repeal the four labour codes.
Joginder Singh Ugrahan, President Bharatiya Kisan Union Ekta Ugrahan said the morcha also took note of developments in Punjab where few farmers unions formed Samyukta Samaj Morcha for contesting elections.
”After reflecting on the issue, we have decided to take a further call on nature of relationship with these unions in April,” he added.
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