On Sunday, protestors calling for the revocation of the three farm laws passed in September last year, created a ruckus at Lakhimpur Kheri in Uttar Pradesh, which soon took an ugly turn, leading to the deaths of no less than nine people – four farmers, four BJP workers and one journalist. According to the police, violence erupted after a car hit the protestors in Lakhimpur Kheri. They said that four farmers were killed after allegedly being hit by a convoy and four others who were travelling in one of the vehicles were beaten to death.
However, this claim, of Union Minister of State (MoS) for Home, Ajay Mishra’s convoy deliberately running over the protestors has no factual backing to it. It is not unlikely that the entire episode was orchestrated to revitalise an agitation which was fast slipping into oblivion. The Modi government is not budging on its stand of not revoking the three revolutionary farm laws, come what may. So, the protestors were desperately looking for an occurrence which would propel their movement into stardom once again.
Three farm laws have been stayed by apex court and these Acts are not in place. What are you protesting for: SC to farmers’ body
— Press Trust of India (@PTI_News) October 4, 2021
As per Minister of State A K Mishra, the ‘farmers’ pelted stones and attacked the convoy, and not the other way round. Because of such hostile action by the protestors, the driver lost control and the car overturned killing two ‘protestors’. Angered, the ‘farmers’ then attacked the BJP workers killing at least four BJP workers. There is umpteen visual evidence to support such assertions. The protestors are seen toppling a vehicle and unforgivingly beating those inside it.
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https://twitter.com/upadhyayvijay/status/1444660328621428738?s=20
FLASH:A journalist Raman Kashyap has been identified among the eight dead in Lakhimpur Kheri clashes, report @rohanduaT02, @SinghPramod2784 and @Anand_Journ.@Uppolice say they are still in process to find out farmers who allegedly assaulted the journalist, leading to his death. pic.twitter.com/DMucmw0MlS
— The New Indian (@TheNewIndian_in) October 4, 2021
How were the protestors armed with sticks for a mere black flag protest against the union minister? Did they anticipate that they would be required to use them? Furthermore, how is it that an entire ecosystem was erected almost seamlessly, which rushed to the spot instantaneously to take note of the ground situation. We are not talking about the media here. We are talking about the various politicians who are trying to cash in on the incident to further their own electoral careers, months before Uttar Pradesh heads to polls.
Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, Bhupesh Baghel, Chandrasekhar Azad, various contingents from Punjab and Delhi, Akhilesh Yadav – they all instantly made plans to indulge in vulture politics at Lakhimpur Kheri. What is to suggest that these elements did not have prior knowledge of the violence, or dare we say, had a hand in orchestrating it?
The violence in no manner seemed impromptu. One must question the motives behind Sunday’s incident, and seek answers for various questions from the judicial inquiry which has been ordered by the Yogi Adityanath government.
