Farmers will mark ‘Shaheed Kisan Diwas’ on Tuesday to protest the Centre’s three contentious farm laws. According to a statement released by the Samyukt Kisan Morcha (SKM), they will pay tribute to the four farmers who died in the recent Lakhimpur Kheri violence.
The SKM is aan umbrella body of more than 40 farmer’s unions. Other farmer organisations and progressive groups across India have been urged to commemorate the event by holding prayer and homage sessions in the morning, followed by candlelight vigils in the evening.
“October 12th will be marked as Shaheed Kisan Diwas all over India on SKM’s call. Tomorrow, the ‘antim ardaas’ of the martyrs of Lakhimpur Kheri massacre will take place in Tikunia at Sahebjada Inter College. Preparations are being made for the same and tens of thousands of farmers are expected to join this prayer meeting,” a statement by SKM said. The SKM urged people to light five candles outside their houses at 8.00 pm Tuesday.
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The announcement came even as Bharatiya Kisan Union (BKU) national spokesperson Rakesh Tikait reached Tikunia in Lakhimpur Kheri in the evening to attend the ‘antim ardas’ (final prayer) ceremony for the four farmers and journalist Raman Kashyap who were among the eight killed.
The farmers’ body expressed its dismay at no action being taken against Union minister and BJP MP Ajay Mishra, whose vehicle allegedly ran over the farmers at Lakhimpur Kheri. “It is shameful on the part of the Modi government that Ajay Mishra Teni has not been sacked yet. It was his vehicles that were in the convoy that killed innocent people,” the SKM said.
(With inputs from ANI)
