Lakhimpur Kheri incident a big jolt to Yogi Adityanath govt, BJP on the back foot ahead of assembly polls

Following the death of several farmers in Lakhimpur Kheri on Sunday, all major opposition parties in Uttar Pradesh have hit the street, putting the Yogi Adityanath government on the back foot. The situation was further compounded when senior opposition leaders including Congress general secretary Priyanka Gandhi and former chief minister Akhilesh Yadav were arrested by UP Police.

The top leadership of opposition parties has come out in open in support of the agitating farmers. National president of Samajwadi Party Akhilesh Yadav has demanded the resignation of Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath. He further said that the manner in which a peaceful assembly of farmers was hit, allegedly by a car in which the son of Union minister of state for Home Ajay Kumar Mishra, who is an MP from Lakhimpur Kheri, has clearly exposed the arrogant attitude of BJP leaders.

Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi, who reached Lucknow on Sunday night, was detained at Sitapur on her way to Lakhimpur Kheri.

Congress spokesperson Supriya Srinate said that the Union minister and his children had adopted CM Yogi Adityanath’s ‘thoko niti’ (hit policy).

BSP national president and former CM Mayawati expressed her anger as the party's general secretary Satish Mishra was put under house arrest when he announced his plan to visit Lakhimpur Kheri. Significantly, Mayawati has urged the Supreme Court to take cognizance of the incident to ensure justice to the farmers.

The entire episode and alleged involvement of Mishra’s son has queered the pitch for the BJP leadership and Yogi Adiyanath government. Mishra tried to defend his son Ashish by claiming that he was not present at the scene when the incident took place. But the farmers have rubbished this and demanded action against him.

Owing to the pressure of farmers and on the basis of their demand, the police belatedly filed an FIR against Ashish Mishra and 15 others for their involvement in violence in Lakhimpur Kheri.

It is pertinent to recall here that the agitation started by the farmers was instigated by an alleged statement made by Mishra at a public meeting last week when he asked the farmers to end their protest or he would fix them as he was not just an MLA or minister. The farmers took it as challenge and to lodge a strong protest, decided to block the convoy of the Union minister and UP deputy chief minister Keshav Prasad Maurya.

At a time when all political parties are busy making preparations for the forthcoming assembly polls, the killing of farmers at Lakhimpur Kheri has mobilised opposition leaders. Suddenly, the BJP is on a back foot as there is total unity among the opposition on this issue and the entire farming community is seething with anger against the BJP-led UP Government.

(IPA Service)

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