Parkash Singh Badal 'shocked' by Centre's 'insensitivity', urges PM Modi to intervene

Former Punjab Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal on Tuesday, October 5, urged the Centre to ensure that those responsible for the killing of farmers in Uttar Pradesh's Lakhimpur Kheri district are punished. 

Conveying Parkash Singh Badal's condolences to the deceased, principal advisor to the president of Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) S Sukhbir Singh Badal, Harcharan Bains, said that Parkash Badal was shocked by the Centre's response and action towards the farmers who lost their lives in the Lakhimpur incident.

The Principal Advisor to SAD president S Sukhbir Singh Badal, Harcharan Bains wrote on Twitter, "Shocked by Union government's insensitivity and inaction against those responsible for the brutal murder of innocent farmers at Lakhimpur. I urge PM to intervene immediately and ensure that the guilty, regardless of who they are, get exemplary punishment: Parkash Singh Badal".

Several opposition leaders, including Navjot Singh Sidhu, and Akhilesh Yadav, have demanded the arrest of MoS Ajay Mishra's son in connection to the incident. 

'Political tourism' blocked in Lakhimpur

With the imposition of Section 144, the entry of political leaders has been barred in the Lakhimpur-Kheri district. Apart from Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, many other political leaders including MP Deepender Hooda, Sanjay Singh, Chandrashekhar Azad, Shivpal Yadav, Sanjay Singh, and a delegation of Punjab MLAs led by Deputy CM Sukhjinder Singh Randhawa were not allowed to enter the district. On Monday, Akhilesh Yadav was stopped from leaving his Vikramaditya Marg residence ahead of his visit to Lakhimpur and temporarily taken into preventive custody. Meanwhile, Satish Chandra Mishra, BSP general secretary, and Congress leader Salman Khurshid were placed under house arrest.

In another development, permission was denied for the landing of the helicopters of Chhattisgarh CM Bhupesh Baghel and Punjab CM Charanjit Singh Channi in Lakhimpur. Some of the leaders on October 5, did manage to meet the families of the victims like TMC MPs Sushmita Dev, Dola Sen, Kakoli Ghosh Dastidar, Pratima Mondal and Abir Ranjan Biswas and RLD chief Jayant Chaudhary. 

Lakhimpur Kheri violence

On October 3, while farmers were protesting against the Centre's 3 farm laws at Lakhimpur Kheri outside an event venue where Deputy CM Keshav Prasad Maurya was scheduled to be present, one of the farmers was allegedly shot dead by Ashish Mishra - son of Union MoS Ajay Mishra Teni, and two farmers were killed after his car reportedly ran over them. Before the incident, farmers were seen holding black flags displaying their disapproval of Maurya's helipad landing at Maharaja Agrasen Ground. In response to the horrifying act, farmers began pelting stones at the car which had overturned, killing four BJP workers - including Mishra's driver. 

(With inputs from ANI, Image: PTI)