Farmers begin 75-hour strike in Lakhimpur Kheri, call for minister's sacking

Thousands of farmers from various outfits under the Samyukt Kisan Morcha (SKM) from Punjab, Haryana, Uttarakhand and parts of Uttar Pradesh arrived in Lakhimpur Kheri in cars and buses to take part in the 75-hour-long strike.

Updated on: Aug 18, 2022, 13:31:42 IST

By HT News Desk | Written by Harshit Sabarwal, New Delhi

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The Samyukt Kisan Morcha (SKM) on Thursday started a 75-hour-long strike in Uttar Pradesh's Lakhimpur Kheri. Thousands of farmers from various outfits under the SKM from Punjab, Haryana, Uttarakhand and parts of Uttar Pradesh arrived in Lakhimpur Kheri in cars and buses.

Farmers begin 75-hour stir in Lakhimpur Kheri. (ANI Photo)

"Bharatiya Kisan Union (BKU) national spokesperson Rakesh Tikait, national organisation secretary Bhudev Sharma and some other prominent leaders arrived here on Wednesday for the dharna," the district president of BKU-Tikait), the local convener of the agitation, Dilbagh Singh Sandhu, told news agency PTI on Thursday.

Also Read| UP: Slain Lakhimpur Kheri journalist’s brother joins SP

The main demands of the 75-hour-long strike include the withdrawal of cases against farmers in connection with the year-long protests against the Centre's three farm laws which were rolled back in 2021; a law on the Minimum Support Price (MSP) and the withdrawal of the Electricity Bill 2022.

The farmers have also sought justice for victims of the Lakhimpur Kheri violence on October 3 last year, and have demanded the sacking of Union minister Ajay Kumar Mishra.

A total of eight people were killed in the violence, including four farmers and a journalist.

The four farmers were mowed down by a sport utility vehicle (SUV) in which Ashish Mishra, the son of Union minister Ajay Kumar Mishra, was travelling.

Ashish has been named as the prime accused in the Lakhimpur Kheri violence case.

Last month, the Lucknow bench of the Allahabad high court rejected the bail plea of Ashish Mishra in connection with the case.

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