Lakhimpur Kheri violence: Politicians barred from attending 'antim ardas' prayers, says BKU-Tiktait

New Delhi, Oct 11: Politicians are barred from taking part in 'antim ardas' prayers of farmers who died in Lakhimpur violence on October 3, BKU-Tiktait said.

The event will be held on Tuesday and the preparations for the final prayers are progressing at a brisk pace. "No political leader will be allowed to share the stage where only Samyukta Kisan Morcha (SKM) leaders will be present," PTI quotes BKU-Tikait's district president Amandeep Singh Sandhu as saying.

The SKM is an umbrella organisation of farmer unions and it is spearheading the protest against three farm laws, enacted by the NDA government in centre.

"Farmers and leaders of various farm unions from various states and districts of Uttar Pradesh will participate in the 'ardas' and 'bhog' programme in Tikonia," Sandhu added, stating that "no other programme apart from the 'antim ardas' and the 'bhog' has been communicated so far."

On 3 October, a jeep owned by Union Home Minister for State Ajay Mishra mowed down a few farmers in Lakhimpur Kheri. Infuriated farmers then allegedly lynched some people in the vehicles. The other dead included two BJP workers and their driver.

While the farmers said that they spotted the minister's son Ashish Mishra in one of the vehicles, Ajay Sharma denied all the speculations and said that his son was attending another event.

The UP government has constituted a nine-member SIT team headed by Deputy Inspector General of Police (Headquarters) Upendra Agarwal which is investigating the case.

On 7 October, two men and close aide of Ajay Mishra were arrested by the cops and police had put up a notice outside Ashish Mishra's house who appeared before the SIT on Saturday and he was arrested after 12 hours of questioning.

Now, farmers unions and opposition parties are demanding that Ajay Mishra should be dismissed from the cabinet.

Meanwhile, the SKM has also given a call for a rail roko protest across the country from 10 AM to 4 PM on October 18 and a mahapanchayat in Lucknow on October 26.