Farmers to immerse ashes of Lakhimpur Kheri violence victims in Arabian Sea today

Farmers’ outfits will be holding a public meeting at Azad Maidan on Sunday. On Saturday, as part of their nationwide agitations against the three controversial farm laws, various outfits on Saturday took out a rally with the ashes of farmers who had died during the protest in Lakhimpur Kheri

As part of their nationwide agitations against the three controversial farm laws, various farmers’ organisations on Saturday took out a rally with the ashes of farmers who had died during the agitation. The outfits will be holding a public meeting at Azad Maidan on Sunday.

Farmers and activists of local political parties take part in a rally to pay tribute to farmers who lost their lives in the Lakhimpur Kheri protest against the Central government's agricultural laws on Saturday. (Vijay Bate/HT PHOTO)

Last week, Prime Minister Narendra Modi had announced that the laws would be repealed owing to the stiff opposition by the farmers. The legal process to repeal them is expected to be completed in the winter session that starts from Monday.

The urns carrying the ashes were taken to the city’s historic places such as Chaityabhoomi, Shivaji Park and Babu Genu memorial as a tribute to the farmers who lost their lives during the agitation in Lakhimpur Kheri in Uttar Pradesh last month. The ashes would be immersed in the Arabian Sea after the rally on Sunday.

Saturday’s rally was supported by the state’s ruling parties – the Shiv Sena, Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) and Congress. NCP leader Supriya Sule participated in the rally at Chaityabhoomi.

Eight people, including four farmers, had died in the Lakhimpur Kheri violence on October 3.

Farmers’ organisations, under the banner of Samyukta Kisan Morcha, has organised a farmers’ rally at Azad Maidan on Sunday.

“We are expecting more than 50,000 farmers, labourers and workers, representing various organisations, to attend it. Rakesh Tikait, who has been heading the farmers’ protest at Singhu border as well as other leaders such as Darshan Pal, Hanan Mulla and Dr Ashok Dhawle, among others, will address the rally. Though the political parties and their leaders are allowed to attend it, they will not be permitted to share the dais. It will be a rally of farmers,” said Shailendra Kamble, state committee member of Communist Party of India (Marxist) said.

The farmers, who have been protesting against the laws for about a year, have announced to not withdraw the stir until the other demands, including that pertaining to the minimum of minimum support price (MSP) were met.