By Pradeep Kapoor
LUCKNOW: The killing of more than half a dozen farmers in Lakhimpur Kheri has hottened the political situation in Uttar Pradesh with all opposition parties hitting street putting Yogi Adityanath government on defensive. Senior opposition leaders including former chief minister Akhilesh Yadav and Congress leaders were arrested while going to Lakhimpur Kheri.
For the first time top leadership of opposition parties have come in in open in support of agitating farmers and condemned the killing of farmers. Former chief minister and national president of Samajwadi Party Akhilesh Yadav demanded resignation of Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath. He further said that the manner in which peaceful agitation of farmers was hit by the car of son of union minister clearly showed the arrogant attitude of BJP leaders.
Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi who reached Lucknow on Sunday night was detained at Sitapur on her way to Lakhimpur Kheri. Congress spokesperson Supriya Trinetra said that the Union minister and his children had adopted, thokoniti, of CM Yogi Adityanath.
BSP national President and former CM Mayawati expressed her anger as the party’s general secretary Satish Mishra was put under house arrest when he announced his program to visit Lakhimpur Kheri. Later Satish Mishra cancelled his program when he was showed in writing that nobody would be allowed to visit Lakhimpur Kheri. Significantly Mayawati urged the Supreme Court to take cognizance of the killing otherwise farmers would not get justice.
The entire episode and alleged involvement of son of union minister in killings of farmers when his vehicle hit the peaceful farmers ,have created peculiar situation for BJP leadership and Yogi Adiyanath government.
Union minister of state for home Ajay Mishra Teni tried to defend his son Asheesh by making the statement he was not present on the scene when the incident took place. But the farmers demanded action against minister’s son Asheesh who was in the vehicle when it hit the farmers. Bowing to the pressure of farmers and on the basis of their demand the state government filed FIR against minister’s son Asheesh Mishra and 15 others for their involvement in violence in kheri.
It would be worth mentioned that the agitation started by the farmers was instigated by the alleged statement of Union minister Ajay Mishra at a public meeting last week when he asked the farmers to end their protest or he would fix them as he was not just MLA or minister. The farmers took it as challenge and lodged protest to block the convoy of the minister and deputy chief minister Keshav Prasad Maurya but the incident took place before they could arrive.
At a time when all political parties are busy making preparations for forthcoming assembly polls the killing of farmers at Lakhimpur Kheri provided opposition leaders a big opportunity to mobilise their cadres against the UP CM and also the state leaders of BJP. Suddenly, BJP is in a backfoot as there is a total unity among the opposition on this issue and the entire farming community is seething in anger against the BJP led UP Government.. (IPA Service)
