Pawar likens Lakhimpur Kheri violence to Jallianwala Bagh massacre

Sharad Pawar’s comments came a day after Ashish Mishra, the son of India’s junior home minister, Ajay Mishra Teni, was booked for murder and criminal conspiracy for Lakhimpur Kheri violence

Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) chief Sharad Pawar on Tuesday hit out at the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)-led governments in Uttar Pradesh and at the Centre for “misuse of power” over the violence that erupted in Lakhimpur Kheri during a farmer protest and left eight people dead. He demanded a probe by a Supreme Court judge into the violence while likening it to the Jallianwala Bagh massacre during India’s freedom movement. Pawar assured the farmers that they are not alone, and the opposition is with them.

Nationalist Congress Party chief Sharad Pawar said Lakhimpur Kheri violence should be probed by a sitting Supreme Court judge. (PTI Photo)

“Our country gives the right to protest. Accordingly, farmers gathered at Lakhimpur Kheri and were holding a silent protest. At that time, people related to those who are in government--be it Uttar Pradesh or at the Centre tried to suppress their voice and were mowed down by a jeep which led to the loss of lives of six to eight farmers. Those who are in the BJP government at Centre and in Uttar Pradesh are responsible for this act.”

Pawar’s comments came a day after Ashish Mishra, the son of India’s junior home minister, Ajay Mishra Teni, was booked for murder and criminal conspiracy in connection with the violence in Lakhimpur Kheri. The farmers have claimed Ashish Mishra mowed down four cultivators with his SUV during the protest on Sunday and triggered the violence.

Ashish Mishra denied the charges, saying he was not in the car. He blamed the farmers for torching vehicles and thrashing other people to death, including the car’s driver and two BJP workers. A local journalist also died in the violence. Four of eight, who died in the violence, were farmers. It was the bloodiest clash since protests against three Central laws erupted last year.

Pawar said he has heard the UP government was ready to get the incident probed by a retired judge. “But I want the investigation to be conducted by a sitting Supreme Court judge and allow the truth to come out.” Pawar said the Uttar Pradesh government has created a situation similar to the Jallianwala Bagh massacre and it will have to pay its price one day. He added the attack on farmers protesting silently “shows the intention of the BJP- led central government”. “I want to tell them (BJP), today you are in the government and are trying to muzzle farmers’ voices by misusing power. But you will not succeed. You will get a befitting response not only from the farmers in Uttar Pradesh but from the entire country.”