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Punjab CM Charanjit Singh Channi on Monday urged Prime Minister Narendra Modi to impress upon the Uttar Pradesh government to take firm steps in ensuring justice to the victim families of the Lakhimpur Kheri violence.
A memorandum in this regard was submitted to Punjab Governor Banwarilal Purohit here. Channi, while condemning the incident, told reporters that it should not have happened.
Urging the governor to send the memorandum to the PM, Channi reiterated the need to urgently review and repeal the three farm laws, which has caused resentment among farmers.
Channi mentioned that he was constrained to bring in his (PM) notice that the recent incident of violence at Lakhimpur Kheri in Uttar Pradesh has “shaken the conscience of one and all”.
Furthermore, it is all the more painful that our ‘anndattas’ have lost lives in this unfortunate act while protesting peacefully against the farm laws, he said.
Seeking the prime minister’s intervention, Channi said the real culprits behind this “barbarous act” should be exposed, howsoever, influential or well connected they may be.
He urged the PM for expeditious justice to be delivered to the innocent farmers who have lost their lives in this unfortunate incident, according to an official statement.
The memorandum reads, “Moreover, the common people and farmers are feeling alienated from the present system, which has gradually crumbled due to erosion of democratic values and ethics.”
“Sir, it is high time that people’s confidence and trust in the democratic system is restored so as to enable them to express their emotions and feelings freely by allowing them to exercise their fundamental right to expression. As of now, they are feeling suffocated to vent out their grievances fearlessly,” he said.
The chief minister said there is widespread resentment among farmers with regard to three farm laws enacted by the Centre.
He said several farmers have lost their lives during this ongoing stir against the farm laws, which has posed a major threat to their livelihoods, jeopardising the future of generations.
Channi said it is ironic that the farmers who have made the country self-reliant in food production are now forced to fight for safeguarding their rights.
“Notably, this agitation has adversely impacted our economy and, therefore, a viable solution to this issue must be found by taking all the stakeholders into confidence. Needless to mention that the general public has also been badly hit and facing a lot of inconvenience due to this ongoing agitation,” added Channi.
The CM was accompanied by Deputy CM O P Soni, ministers Brahm Mohindra, Manpreet Singh Badal, Tript Rajinder Singh Bajwa, Sukhbinder Singh Sarkaria, Vijay Inder Singla, Randeep Singh Nabha, Raj Kumar Verka, Sangat Singh Gilzian, Pargat Singh, Amarinder Singh Raja Warring and Gurkirat Singh Kotli.
Eight people were killed on Sunday as violence erupted during a farmers’ protest in Lakhimpur Kheri, claiming the lives of both farmers and BJP workers ahead of a visit by UP Deputy Chief Minister Keshav Prasad Maurya.
Four of the dead were people in the cars, apparently a part of a convoy of BJP workers who had come to welcome the UP minister.
They were allegedly thrashed to death.
The four others were farmers, officials said.
