Farmers Begin 3-Day Protest Against Centre In Uttar Pradesh's Lakhimpur Kheri

Nearly 10,000 farmers from Punjab will take part in a 72-hour protest in Uttar Pradesh's Lakhimpur Kheri against the Centre starting today. The Samyukt Kisan Morcha called for the protest to "seek justice" in the Lakhimpur Kheri violence case.

Bharti Kisan Union (Doaba) president Manjit Singh Rai said 10,000 farmers from Punjab will participate in the protest. "Some are going on trains and some on their own vehicles," Mr Rai said. The farmers left for Uttar Pradesh on Wednesday.

Farmers are demanding the sacking of Union Minister of State Ajay Mishra, whose son Ashish was arrested in a case where eight people including four farmers were killed in Lakhimpur Kheri in October last year.

As of July this year, the Allahabad High Court denied bail to Ashish Mishra, who was allegedly sitting in one of the cars that crushed the farmers to death.

Other demands of the protesting farmers include a withdrawal of cases registered against farmers during the year-long protest against the Centre's now-repealed farm laws.

Additionally, they also want compensation to be given to families of farmers who died during the same protest, as well as legal guarantee for the minimum support price of crops.

Senior farmer leaders like Rakesh Tikait, Darshan Pal, and Joginder Singh Ugrahan will also be a part of this three-day protest.

(With inputs from PTI)