SKM calls for country-wide protests on Oct. 26 to demand dismissal, arrest of Union minister

New Delhi, Oct. 22 (PTI): The Samyukt Kisan Morcha on Friday gave a call to organise country-wide protests on October 26 to press for the dismissal and arrest of Union Minister Ajay Mishra in connection with the Lakhimpur violence, and also to mark the completion of 11 months of farmers’ agitation.

In a statement, the SKM, a joint forum of farmer unions, demanded from the central government fulfilment of its “legitimate demands” – repeal of the three anti-farmer laws, making MSP into a legal entitlement for all produce and all farmers, and sacking as well as arrest of Ajay Mishra.

Farmers from Punjab, Haryana And Uttar Pradesh had been camping at Delhi borders Singhu, Tikri and Ghazipur since November 26 last year to oppose three contentious farm laws passed by the central government.

“The SKM has now put out a call to all constituents to mark October 26 with country-wide protests, to intensify the demand for Ajay Mishra Teni’s dismissal and arrest, and to mark the completion of 11 long months of peaceful struggle.

“On that day, between 11 am and 2 pm, there will be sit-ins and marches,” the SKM said in the statement.

Four of the eight people who died in the violence on October 3 were farmers, allegedly knocked down by a vehicle carrying BJP workers. Angry farmers then allegedly lynched some people in the vehicles. The other dead included two BJP workers and their driver.

Farmers have claimed that Ajay Mishra’s son Ashish was in one of the vehicles, an allegation denied by him and his father who say they can produce evidence to prove he was at an event at that time. Ashish Mishra was arrested in the case on October 9.

The SKM also decided to postpone its Mahapanchayat in Lucknow, that was earlier scheduled to be held on October 26, to November 22.

In the statement, the body also clarified that Bhartiya Sikh Sanghatan (led by Jasbir Singh Virk) has never been and will not be a part of SKM.

The SKM reiterated its demand for a thorough investigation by a sitting judge of the Supreme Court into the alleged sacrilege and murder at Singhu Border earlier this month.

A man was found lynched with his hand chopped off while his body was tied to a metal barricade at a farmers’ protest venue at Kundli near the Delhi-Haryana border recently.