New Delhi: Farmers protesting against the Centre’s three contentious farm laws will observe ‘Shaheed Kisan Diwas’ Tuesday. They will pay tribute to the four farmers who lost their lives in the Lakhimpur Kheri violence recently, a statement by the Samyukt Kisan Morcha (SKM) said.
The SKM is an umbrella body of over 40 farmers’ unions. It has appealed to other farmer organisations and progressive groups across India to mark the occasion by organising prayer and homage meetings followed by candle light vigils in the evening.
“October 12th will be marked as Shaheed Kisan Diwas all over India on SKM’s call. Tomorrow, the ‘antim ardaas’ of the martyrs of Lakhimpur Kheri massacre will take place in Tikunia at Sahebjada Inter College. Preparations are being made for the same and tens of thousands of farmers are expected to join this prayer meeting,” a statement by SKM said. The SKM urged people to light five candles outside their houses at 8.00pm Tuesday.
The organisation also expressed its dismay at no action being taken against BJP MP Ajay Mishra, whose vehicle allegedly ran over the farmers at Lakhimpur Kheri.
Also read: Lakhimpur Kheri case: Ashish Mishra sent to 3 days police remand
“It is shameful on the part of the Modi government that Ajay Mishra Teni has not been sacked yet. It was his vehicles that were in the convoy that killed innocent people,” the SKM said.
The body informed that farmers will mark Dussehra by burning effigies of BJP leaders October 15.
Thousands of farmers from across India have been camping at Delhi borders since November last, demanding repeal of the three farm laws. They claim the farm laws will do away with the minimum support price (MSP) system, leaving them at the mercy of big corporations.
Over 10 rounds of talks with the government have failed to break the deadlock between the two sides. The government on the other hand is trying to project the laws as agricultural reforms.
