UP violence: Punjab CM Channi, parties seek action against those behind farmers' death in Lakhimpur Kheri
Punjab Chief Minister Charanjit Singh Channi on Saturday condemned the UP's Lakhimpur Kheri incident in which two SUVs allegedly ran over a group of farmers, leading to violence that claimed eight lives.
Other political parties in Punjab too demanded the registration of a case against those who "crushed farmers to death".
Deputy Chief Minister Sukhjinder Singh Randhawa said he will visit Lakhimpur Kheri on Monday, along with a team of officials to have on the spot assessment of the situation there.
Expressing deep anguish at the tragic incident, Channi said the "ghastly and inhuman act" must be condemned by all in strongest possible words, according to a statement. Channi urged his counterpart in Uttar Pradesh, Yogi Adityanath, to bring the culprits to book so as to ensure justice to the victim families.
Eight people were killed on Saturday as violence erupted in Uttar Pradesh’s Lakhimpur Kheri during a farmers' protest over Deputy Chief Minister Keshav Prasad Maurya's visit.
Four of the dead were traveling in the vehicles and the remaining four were farmers. The farmers had assembled there to oppose Maurya's visit to Banbirpur, the native village of Union Minister of State for Home and MP Ajay Kumar Mishra.
The violence broke out after two SUVs allegedly ran over a group of anti-farm law protesters. Farmers alleged that the Union minister's son was in one of the vehicles, a charge denied by Mishra.
Former Punjab chief minister Amarinder Singh also sought a probe into the incident.
“Thorough probe needed into the Lakhimpur Kheri incident. Justice must be ensured for the victims of the violence. Violence or provocation of violence is no solution to any problem.': @capt_amarinder,” tweeted Amarinder's media adviser.
Meanwhile, Aam Aadmi Party MLA and Leader of Opposition in the Punjab Assembly, Harpal Singh, Cheema condemned the incident and said the culprits should be immediately put behind bars.
He demanded that the farm laws should be repealed immediately. Shiromani Akali Dal chief Sukhbir Singh Badal demanded immediate registration of a murder case against the son of the Union minister for allegedly crushing farmers to death.
"It seems the government is trying to protect the son of a Union minister of state, which is shocking and condemnable," said Badal in a statement. The Union Home Ministry should direct the Uttar Pradesh government to provide justice to the families of dead farmers immediately, he said.
Congress leader Navjot Singh Sidhu also sought registration of a case against the Union minister's son.
"No one is above the law … FIR under sec 302 IPC must be registered against Union Minister's son for murder of innocent farmers, he should be immediately arrested and put behind the bars for this barbaric act !!," tweeted Sidhu.
Congress MP Partap Singh Bajwa also demanded the registration of a case against the son of the Union minister. "All perpetrators including the MoS Home's son should be booked for murder, for crushing the protesting farmers. Anything less than that would be a gross miscarriage of justice," said Bajwa in a tweet.
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