Lakhimpur Kheri incident: Mallikarjun Kharge slams Centre, UP govt for 'attacking farmers'

Congress leader Mallikarjun Kharge on Wednesday slammed the Centre and Uttar Pradesh government over the Lakhimpur Kheri incident and stated that both governments were attacking farmers.

Bengaluru:Congress leader Mallikarjun Kharge on Wednesday slammed the Centre and Uttar Pradesh government over the Lakhimpur Kheri incident and stated that both governments were attacking farmers. "State and Centre governments are attacking farmers, again and again," said Kharge and alleged that son of a minister was responsible for killing farmers who were protesting against Central farm laws.

The Congress leader said that farmers demands should be looked into. He also slammed the Uttar Pradesh and Haryana chief Ministers for their anti-farmer stance. Kharge criticised Haryana Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar's statement at BJP's Kisan Morcha meet to "pick up sticks" and to use "tit for tat" methodology against the protesting farmers.

He also slammed the Union Minister of State for Home Affairs Ajay Mishra Teni for making a threatening speech against farmers who were protesting against the Union farm laws. He also slammed the UP government for the arrest of Congress general secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra.

"It is a dictatorship. No democratic values are working in the country and the government is not working following the Constitution. The government is trying to take freedom away from people," he alleged. "I condemn the government's action. The arrested people must be released and the Supreme Court sitting judge committee must investigate the arrests and detentions case," Kharge said.

A total of eight people including four farmers died in the violence that took place in Lakhimpur Kheri on October 3. Samyukta Kisan Morcha, an umbrella body of several farmer unions, alleged that Ashish Mishra Teni, son of Union Minister of State for Home Affairs Ajay Mishra Teni arrived with three vehicles around the time that farmers were dispersing from their protest at the helipad and mowed down farmers and towards the end also attacked SKM leader Tajinder Singh Virk directly, by trying to run a vehicle over him.

However, Ashish Mishra refuted SKM's allegations and said he was not present at the spot where the incident took place. MoS Teni also said that his son was not present at the spot, adding that some miscreants mingled with protesting farmers and pelted the stones at the car which lead to the 'unfortunate incident'.

ANI