UP Cong demands action against official for Lakhimpur incidents

Lucknow, Dec 29 (UNI) The Uttar Pradesh Congress today urged Governor T V Rajeswar to order lodging of criminal cases against the officials and policemen involved in the suicide of two brothers and lathi charge on cane farmers in Lakhimpur district recently.

In separate memorandums to the Governor, state Congress president Rita Bahuguna Joshi said both the incidents shows the indifferent attitude of the government towards the poor farmers of the state.

In the case of double suicide, the Congress leader said a case of murder should be lodged against the bank official, District Magistrate and other district officials as they had instigated the youth --Sunil and Kamlesh-- to commit suicide on December 24, as their land were auctioned for non-payment of loan.

Demanding a high-level probe into the incident and payment of Rs five lakh each to the family members, she said the way the auction of eight bighas of land was held to recover Rs 10,000 proves that there was a conspiracy to capture the fertile agriculture land.

In another incident, the Congress leader criticised the police action on the cane growers at Khambarkheda sugar mill on December 25 when they were holding demonstration demanding immediate payment of the cane dues of the previous crushing season.

Ms Joshi also demanded that the government should force the sugar mills of Khambarkheda, Palia and Gola to pay the cane dues amounting to Rs 125 crore.

UNI