Sukhbir Singh Badal slams Centre over Lakhimpur Kheri incident
Ludhiana (Punjab) [India], October 4 (ANI): President of Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) Sukhbir Singh Badal on Monday slammed the central government over clashes in Lakhimpur Kheri district of Uttar Pradesh.
Speaking to ANI, Singh said, "Farmers are our food providers (annadaata). If our farmers will be attacked, killed to death, government misuses its powers, then who will serve justice? The government has started a war against the farmers' interests."
The SAD president further requested the Centre to repeal the farm laws for the welfare of the farmers of the country.
"The government is being run by the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). I request the Prime Minister of the country to give up on his stubbornness, listen to the farmers and repeal these farm laws," he said.
As many as eight people were killed on Sunday in Lakhimpur Kheri following violence that broke out after a car hit protesting farmers.
Samyukta Kisan Morcha, an umbrella body of several farmer unions, issued a statement on Sunday regarding the incident claiming the death of four farmers and alleged that one of the four farmers was shot dead by Union Minister of State for Home Ajay Mishra Teni's son--Ashish Mishra, while the others have been allegedly run over by the vehicles of his convoy.
However, both the Union Minister and his son have refuted SKM's allegations.
Meanwhile, Punjab Deputy Chief Minister Sukhjinder Randhawa and Congress leader Kuljit Nagra along with other party leaders have been detained by UP police in Saharanpur, while they were on their way to Lakhimpur Kheri to meet families of farmers who lost their lives in violence.
Congress leader Navjot Singh Sidhu also staged a massive protest before Raj Bhavan today while strongly condemning the killing of innocent farmers in Lakhimpur Kheri "at the hands of BJP goons and ministers". (ANI)
