News Analysis India

Tag: Farmers Protest

  • Trial in 2021 Lakhimpur Kheri violence case not ‘slow paced’: Supreme Court

    By PTI

    NEW DELHI: The Supreme Court on Tuesday said the trial in the 2021 Lakhimpur Kheri violence case, in which Union minister Ajay Kumar Mishra’s son Ashish is among those facing prosecution, is not “slow-paced” and directed the concerned sessions judge to keep apprising it about the future developments of the trial.

    The top court observed that it is not monitoring the trial but it is having “indirect supervision” on it.

    A bench of Justices Surya Kant and J K Maheshwari said the interim direction contained in its January 25 order, by which it had granted eight-week interim bail to Ashish Mishra in the case, shall continue to operate.

    Advocate Prashant Bhushan, representing the victims’ families, told the bench that about 200 prosecution witnesses have to be examined and he is concerned about the “slow pace of the trial”.

    “The trial is not slow-paced. We have received three letters from the trial judge,” the bench observed, adding it had gone through the contents of the letters received from the First Additional District and Sessions Judge, Lakhimpur Kheri.

    The top court said as per the letters, the examination of three witnesses is over while the cross-examination of one of them is going on. “We are not using the word monitoring but we are having indirect supervision on the trial and we will do that,” it said, adding, “Let us continue with the same status for some more time.”

    On January 25, the apex court granted eight-week interim bail to Ashish Mishra and directed him to leave Uttar Pradesh within one week of his release from jail.

    ALSO READ | Lakhimpur Kheri violence case: 8 men accused of mowing down farmers get interim bail

    On October 3, 2021, eight people were killed in Lakhimpur Kheri district’s Tikunia after violence erupted when farmers were protesting against the then Deputy Chief Minister Keshav Prasad Maurya’s visit to the area. According to the Uttar Pradesh Police FIR, four farmers were mowed down by an SUV in which Ashish Mishra was seated. Following the incident, the driver of the SUV and two BJP workers were allegedly lynched by angry farmers. A journalist also died in the violence.

    During the hearing on Tuesday, senior advocate Mukul Rohatgi, appearing for Ashish Mishra, told the bench at the outset that after the January 25 order his client was released from jail and he has appeared before the trial court on every date of the hearing.

    The bench said it has received letters from the trial judge and the proceedings are going on and witnesses are being examined. “The trial court shall continue to apprise this court of the future developments of the trial,” the bench said and posted the matter for hearing in May.

    While hearing the matter on February 13, the apex court had said, “With a view to ensure that trial proceedings can run smoothly and no impediment is caused by anyone, it is directed that the accused persons and one family member of each victim/complainant shall be permitted to attend the court proceedings along with their respective counsels in both the First Information Reports.”

    In its January 25 order, the top court had exercised its “suo-moto constitutional powers” and directed that four accused — Guruwinder Singh, Kamaljeet Singh, Gurupreet Singh and Vichitra Singh — who were arrested in connection with a separate FIR lodged over the killing of three occupants of the SUV, which allegedly mowed down farmers there, be released on interim bail till further orders.

    While granting eight-week interim bail to Ashish Mishra, the bench said any attempt made by him, his family or supporters to influence or threaten the witnesses, directly or indirectly, shall entail cancellation of interim bail.

    It said Ashish Mishra shall surrender his passport to the trial court within one week of his release on interim bail and not enter Uttar Pradesh except to attend the trial proceedings.

    The apex court also said he shall disclose the place of his residence to the trial court as well as the jurisdictional police station where he would stay during the period of interim bail.

    “The trial court shall send progress reports to this court after every date of hearing, along with details of witnesses examined on each date,” the top court had said.

    The Lucknow bench of the Allahabad High Court on July 26 last year rejected Ashish Mishra’s bail plea.

    He had challenged the high court’s order in the apex court.

    On December 6 last year, the trial court framed charges against Ashish Mishra and 12 others for the alleged offences of murder, criminal conspiracy and other penal laws in the case of death of the four protesting farmers in Lakhimpur Kheri, paving the way for the start of the trial.

    NEW DELHI: The Supreme Court on Tuesday said the trial in the 2021 Lakhimpur Kheri violence case, in which Union minister Ajay Kumar Mishra’s son Ashish is among those facing prosecution, is not “slow-paced” and directed the concerned sessions judge to keep apprising it about the future developments of the trial.

    The top court observed that it is not monitoring the trial but it is having “indirect supervision” on it.

    A bench of Justices Surya Kant and J K Maheshwari said the interim direction contained in its January 25 order, by which it had granted eight-week interim bail to Ashish Mishra in the case, shall continue to operate.googletag.cmd.push(function() {googletag.display(‘div-gpt-ad-8052921-2′); });

    Advocate Prashant Bhushan, representing the victims’ families, told the bench that about 200 prosecution witnesses have to be examined and he is concerned about the “slow pace of the trial”.

    “The trial is not slow-paced. We have received three letters from the trial judge,” the bench observed, adding it had gone through the contents of the letters received from the First Additional District and Sessions Judge, Lakhimpur Kheri.

    The top court said as per the letters, the examination of three witnesses is over while the cross-examination of one of them is going on. “We are not using the word monitoring but we are having indirect supervision on the trial and we will do that,” it said, adding, “Let us continue with the same status for some more time.”

    On January 25, the apex court granted eight-week interim bail to Ashish Mishra and directed him to leave Uttar Pradesh within one week of his release from jail.

    ALSO READ | Lakhimpur Kheri violence case: 8 men accused of mowing down farmers get interim bail

    On October 3, 2021, eight people were killed in Lakhimpur Kheri district’s Tikunia after violence erupted when farmers were protesting against the then Deputy Chief Minister Keshav Prasad Maurya’s visit to the area. According to the Uttar Pradesh Police FIR, four farmers were mowed down by an SUV in which Ashish Mishra was seated. Following the incident, the driver of the SUV and two BJP workers were allegedly lynched by angry farmers. A journalist also died in the violence.

    During the hearing on Tuesday, senior advocate Mukul Rohatgi, appearing for Ashish Mishra, told the bench at the outset that after the January 25 order his client was released from jail and he has appeared before the trial court on every date of the hearing.

    The bench said it has received letters from the trial judge and the proceedings are going on and witnesses are being examined. “The trial court shall continue to apprise this court of the future developments of the trial,” the bench said and posted the matter for hearing in May.

    While hearing the matter on February 13, the apex court had said, “With a view to ensure that trial proceedings can run smoothly and no impediment is caused by anyone, it is directed that the accused persons and one family member of each victim/complainant shall be permitted to attend the court proceedings along with their respective counsels in both the First Information Reports.”

    In its January 25 order, the top court had exercised its “suo-moto constitutional powers” and directed that four accused — Guruwinder Singh, Kamaljeet Singh, Gurupreet Singh and Vichitra Singh — who were arrested in connection with a separate FIR lodged over the killing of three occupants of the SUV, which allegedly mowed down farmers there, be released on interim bail till further orders.

    While granting eight-week interim bail to Ashish Mishra, the bench said any attempt made by him, his family or supporters to influence or threaten the witnesses, directly or indirectly, shall entail cancellation of interim bail.

    It said Ashish Mishra shall surrender his passport to the trial court within one week of his release on interim bail and not enter Uttar Pradesh except to attend the trial proceedings.

    The apex court also said he shall disclose the place of his residence to the trial court as well as the jurisdictional police station where he would stay during the period of interim bail.

    “The trial court shall send progress reports to this court after every date of hearing, along with details of witnesses examined on each date,” the top court had said.

    The Lucknow bench of the Allahabad High Court on July 26 last year rejected Ashish Mishra’s bail plea.

    He had challenged the high court’s order in the apex court.

    On December 6 last year, the trial court framed charges against Ashish Mishra and 12 others for the alleged offences of murder, criminal conspiracy and other penal laws in the case of death of the four protesting farmers in Lakhimpur Kheri, paving the way for the start of the trial.

  • Farmers stage protest at Delhi’s Jantar Mantar, demand legal guarantee for MSP

    By PTI

    NEW DELHI: Scores of farmers affiliated with the All India Kisan Congress gathered at the Jantar Mantar here on Friday, demanding legal guarantee for MSP and compensation for the kin of farmers killed in last year’s agitation against the Centre’s three farm laws.

    Thousands of farmers, particularly from Punjab, Haryana and western Uttar Pradesh, protested at the borders of the national capital for over a year, demanding the repeal of the three farm laws. Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced repealing the three laws in November.

    The Congress’ unit for farmers on Friday accused the BJP-led central government of not cooperating with the farmers and reneging on its promises made to them following which, the year-long stir at Delhi borders was suspended.

    Addressing a sea of protestors amid heavy security, Senior Congress leader Randeep Surjewala criticised the Modi government for failing to fulfil the promises it has made to the farmers last year. He called the Narendra Modi-led government “anti-farmer”.

    “It is because of the anti-farmer approach of the Modi government. This is one of the reasons why they find it difficult to implement MSP,” he said.

    “This protest should not be limited to Jantar Mantar. We should take it forward and fight for the rights of farmers, who feed the nation,” he added.

    “Even though Congress has lost the election it has not lost the courage to fight. Modi government has failed to deliver on the promise of implementing a MSP law,” party leader Alka Lamba said.

    Speaking to PTI, Hargobind Singh, joint coordinator of the AIKC, said, “Central government is neither cooperating with the farmers nor addressing their issues. It has been over a year since the anti-farm laws protest ended, but the government’s promise of ensuring MSP to farmers has not been fulfilled yet.”

    “The centre should immediately release the compensation for the families of farmers who sacrificed their lives while fighting for their rights. It is unfortunate that the Centre does not even have the list of those who lost their lives during the protest. How will they even release the compensation?” he asked.

    “The Minimum Support Price (MSP) scheme must be implemented soon. The country still does not have a proper law for farmers which can directly benefit them,” he added.

    Holding the Congress party’s flag and raising slogans of “jai jawan, jai kisan”, farmers from Uttar Pradesh, Haryana, Odisha, Chhattisgarh, Bihar and some southern states gathered at the 18th-century observatory. The farmers said they are protesting against the BJP government’s “anti-farmers policies”.

    Dileep Singh, who hails from Punjab, asserted that the farmers should get their due rights.

    “We have come here to protest against the Modi government and its anti-farmers policies. Farmers are being suppressed under this regime. We have gathered here for our rights. We believe that farmers should get their due rights.”

    Kailash Yadav, who has come from Jaipur, said, “We are here to strengthen the farmers’ movement. We are here in solidarity with our farmers who have been facing many problems under the present government.”

    “We are not getting proper MSP and we were told that our salary would double but nothing of this sort has happened,” he added.

    NEW DELHI: Scores of farmers affiliated with the All India Kisan Congress gathered at the Jantar Mantar here on Friday, demanding legal guarantee for MSP and compensation for the kin of farmers killed in last year’s agitation against the Centre’s three farm laws.

    Thousands of farmers, particularly from Punjab, Haryana and western Uttar Pradesh, protested at the borders of the national capital for over a year, demanding the repeal of the three farm laws. Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced repealing the three laws in November.

    The Congress’ unit for farmers on Friday accused the BJP-led central government of not cooperating with the farmers and reneging on its promises made to them following which, the year-long stir at Delhi borders was suspended.

    Addressing a sea of protestors amid heavy security, Senior Congress leader Randeep Surjewala criticised the Modi government for failing to fulfil the promises it has made to the farmers last year. He called the Narendra Modi-led government “anti-farmer”.

    “It is because of the anti-farmer approach of the Modi government. This is one of the reasons why they find it difficult to implement MSP,” he said.

    “This protest should not be limited to Jantar Mantar. We should take it forward and fight for the rights of farmers, who feed the nation,” he added.

    “Even though Congress has lost the election it has not lost the courage to fight. Modi government has failed to deliver on the promise of implementing a MSP law,” party leader Alka Lamba said.

    Speaking to PTI, Hargobind Singh, joint coordinator of the AIKC, said, “Central government is neither cooperating with the farmers nor addressing their issues. It has been over a year since the anti-farm laws protest ended, but the government’s promise of ensuring MSP to farmers has not been fulfilled yet.”

    “The centre should immediately release the compensation for the families of farmers who sacrificed their lives while fighting for their rights. It is unfortunate that the Centre does not even have the list of those who lost their lives during the protest. How will they even release the compensation?” he asked.

    “The Minimum Support Price (MSP) scheme must be implemented soon. The country still does not have a proper law for farmers which can directly benefit them,” he added.

    Holding the Congress party’s flag and raising slogans of “jai jawan, jai kisan”, farmers from Uttar Pradesh, Haryana, Odisha, Chhattisgarh, Bihar and some southern states gathered at the 18th-century observatory. The farmers said they are protesting against the BJP government’s “anti-farmers policies”.

    Dileep Singh, who hails from Punjab, asserted that the farmers should get their due rights.

    “We have come here to protest against the Modi government and its anti-farmers policies. Farmers are being suppressed under this regime. We have gathered here for our rights. We believe that farmers should get their due rights.”

    Kailash Yadav, who has come from Jaipur, said, “We are here to strengthen the farmers’ movement. We are here in solidarity with our farmers who have been facing many problems under the present government.”

    “We are not getting proper MSP and we were told that our salary would double but nothing of this sort has happened,” he added.

  • Samyukta Kisan Morcha claims Twitter accounts linked to farm movement withheld on ‘instructions’ of Centre

    By PTI

    NEW DELHI: Samyukta Kisan Morcha (SKM), the umbrella organisation of various farmers’ organisations, on Monday claimed that Twitter has withheld around a dozen accounts linked to the farm movement on the “instructions” of the central government.

    The SKM also demanded the release of activist Teesta Setalvad and former IPS officers RB Sreekumar and Sanjiv Bhatt who have been accused of fabricating evidence to frame innocent people in connection with the 2002 Gujarat communal riots.

    According to SKM, @kisnaektamorcha and @tractor2twitr are the two prominent accounts among others that have been withheld.

    The SKM alleged that the BJP government at the Centre has “put pressure” on Twitter to “shut down” these accounts for questioning the Centre.

    No immediate response was available from Twitter.

    “Twitter has withheld about a dozen Twitter accounts in India, including the Twitter handle @kisanektamorcha allied with the farm movement, without any warning. Among them are important accounts like @Tractor2twitr,” the SKM said in a statement.

    “The important thing in this context is that the Union government chose the day of emergency to take this anti-farmer step. The night of 25/26 June 1975, when emergency was imposed in the country, is considered a black day in the democracy of India,” the statement added.

    The SKM demands that all Twitter accounts, including @kisnaektamorcha and @tractor2twitr that have been withheld “undemocratically and unreasonably”, should be restored, the statement said.

    “We also demand that Teesta Setalvad, RB Sreekumar and Sanjeev Bhatt be released unconditionally and justice should be ensured for the victims of Gujarat riots,” said SKM.

    While Setalvad and Sreekumar have been arrested, the process is on to get a transfer warrant for the custody of Bhatt, who is serving a life sentence in a custodial death case at a jail at Palanpur, in connection with the FIR lodged against them.

  • ‘Will stir if demands not met’: Farmer leaders to meet Punjab government on May 10 over power cuts

    Express News Service

    CHANDIGARH: Unhappy over the recent power cuts, farmers in Punjab have been protested for lastfew days across the state.

    Now a meeting has been scheduled between the farmer union leaders and Punjab government on May 10 to work out a ‘solution’ and if demands not met then massive protest on May 17. Before that meeting farmers leaders will be going to Lakhimpur Kheri in Uttar Pradesh on May 4 to get justice for families of ‘martyred’ farmers.

    Senior Samyukt Kisan Morcha leader and BKU (Lakhowal)-Punjab general secretary Punjab Harinder Singh Lakhowal said that the state government has sent them a letter yesterday that they want to meet all the twenty two farmers unions leaders of the SKM on May 10 and the meeting will be held at Chandigarh as it will be chaired by Punjab Power Minister Harbhajan Singh.

    Punjab State Power Corporation Limited (PSPCL) CMD Baldev Singh Sran and other officials will also be present. “We will be attending this meeting with them. We have been demanding that uninterrupted power supply for at least eight hours for tube wells and twenty four hours supply for domestic connections as now as the paddy sowing has to start from May 20 and we want uninterrupted power supply. At present we getting two to three hours power supply for our tube wells and eight to ten hours power cuts in villages,” he said.

    He said that for last five years thousands power connections for tube wells are pending as the farmers have given their applications have paid money as security deposit to PSPCL and also demand notices were issued but till date no connections have been given so these connections should be realised with immediate effect.

    “Also the fees charges for increasing load of tube well motors should be reduced from Rs 4,700 per horse power to Rs 1,200 per horse power as earlier it was Rs 1,200 only and then increased, thus farmers will then apply to increase the power load of the motors installed by them,” said Lakhowal.

    He also demanded that PSPCL should carry out regular maintenance of power lines and increase load of transformers to give uninterrupted power supply and recruit staff as there is staff shortage in the power corporation.

    “We have been raising these issues with the PSPCL every year but they have been saying that they will talk to the government thus all our issues were always put on the back burner as no decision was taken. This time we told them that the power minister and government officials also be present in the meeting sothat decisions could be taken at the earliest,” said Lakhowal.

    He said the SKM delegation met Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann on April 17 and then he had assured the union leaders that a bonus would be given on low yield of wheat and power supply would be ensured. He added that Mann had also assured to provide MSP on ‘moongi’, maize and basmati.

    “If our demands regarding power supply and MSP are not  fulfilled by the state government then the SKM will stage a massive protest on May 17 at Chandigarh,” he said. The Samyukt Kisan Morcha (SKM) will leave for Lakhimpur Kheri on May 4 from the state.

    “The members of the SKM from other states Haryana, Madhya Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh and Rajasthan would also reach Lakhimpur and will meet the families of victim farmers. On May 5, they will hold a meeting with the Lakhimpur Kheri administration and seek justice for the families of the ‘martyred’ farmers,” he said.

  • Uttar Pradesh elections: BKU leader Rakesh Tikait warns farmers on attempts to ‘polarise’ society

    By PTI

    ALIGARH: Bhartiya Kisan Union leader Rakesh Tikait has warned farmers from attempts to “polarise” society and divert their attention by vested interests who will rake up “Hindu-Muslim” issues.

    Tikait who was speaking to media persons while attending a private function near Iglas on Sunday night also said that farmers are” fully conscious” of the critical importance of their choice in the forthcoming assembly elections and do not need any prompting. “In the next few weeks Hindu-Muslim and Jinnah will be regular topics in the political discourse and you should be wary of such distractions,” the BKU leader said.

    Making a cryptic remark, he said “Hindu-Muslim and Jinnah are going to be official guests in UP till March 15.” When asked about farmers’ voting preferences Tikait said ,”When farmers are being forced to sell their produce at half of their cost price they need no one to prompt them as to how they should vote.”

    Farmers are “fully conscious” of the critical importance of their choice in the forthcoming assembly, he added. Assembly polls in Uttar Pradesh will be held in seven phases between February 10 and March 7 and the results will be announced on March 10.

  • Modi forced to turn back after farmers block road in Punjab, Centre terms it ‘security lapse’

    Express News Service

    CHANDIGARH: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday cancelled his visit to  Ferozepur in Punjab where he was scheduled to lay the foundation stones for several projects worth over Rs 42,000 crore.

    The farmers blocked the road on which the PM was travelling from Bathinda to Ferozepur. His cavalcade got stuck for 15-20 minutes on a flyover, some 30 kilometres away from Hussainiwala near Ferozepur and had to turn back. 

    The Ministry of Home Affairs has described the event as a “major security lapse” and sought a detailed report from the state government.

    Sources said that Modi had landed at Bhaisiana Air Force station in Bathinda and was scheduled to visit National Martyrs Memorial at Hussainiwala near Ferozepur in a helicopter. But due to rain and poor visibility, his helicopter could not take off. Modi waited for about 20 minutes at the airport for the weather to clear. As the weather did not improve, it was decided that he would travel by road and first go to the memorial and then lay foundation stones of the projects and later address a rally.

    Security breach in PM Narendra Modi’s convoy near Punjab’s Hussainiwala in Ferozepur district. The PM’s convoy was stuck on a flyover for 15-20 minutes. pic.twitter.com/xU8Jx3h26n
    — ANI (@ANI) January 5, 2022
    Sources said at Hussainiwala near Ferozepur, the farmers laid a blockade. When the PM’s convoy reached a flyover, it stopped and got stuck there for 15-20 minutes as the road was blocked. Modi’s cavalcade and turned back and left for Bathinda.

    “PM Modi went by road from Bathinda after confirmation of security arrangements by the Punjab Police. This was a major lapse in the PM’s security. His schedule and travel plan were communicated well in advance to the Punjab Government,” said a senior official, adding that the state government was supposed to make necessary logistic and security arrangements besides keeping a contingency plan ready.

    Taking cognisance of this security lapse, the Ministry of Home Affairs has sought a detailed report from the state government and asked it to fix responsibility for the lapse and take strict action.

    The farmers have been opposing PM Modi’s visit to the state. This was Modi’s first visit to the state in two years.

    Meanwhile, BJP national president JP Nadda slammed the Punjab Government. “Fearing a resounding defeat at the hands of the electorates, the Congress Government in Punjab tried all possible tricks to scuttle the Prime Minister,” Nadda tweeted.

    Former Chief Minister Capt Amarinder Singh demanded President Rule be imposed in Punjab. “If you cannot secure your PM, what kind of state government is it. The government should be dismissed and President’s Rule be imposed,” he said.

    Earlier, farmers stopped BJP workers and supporters who were going to attend the PM’s rally at two places — near Amritsar at a toll plaza and near Taran Taran. 

    The saffron party accused the Punjab Police of stopping buses that were carrying party workers to the PM’s rally. Meanwhile, addressing the rally, former CM Amarinder Singh, BJP state president Ashwani Sharma accused the state government of creating blockades and stopping BJP workers from reaching the rally venue.

  • ‘Enough of Ganga dubkis’: Mahua Moitra joins Opposition chorus demanding removal of Ajay Mishra

    Express News Service

    NEW DELHI: Joining other Opposition leaders, now TMC MP Mahua Moitra has demanded the resignation of MoS Ajay Mishra after a finding of Special Investigation Team (SIT) into the Lakhimpur-Kheri incident was leaked on Tuesday.  

    Mahua Moitra said the reality has been exposed as the SIT’s finding show that the Lakhimpur Kheri incident was a ‘planned one’.

    Mahua Moitra in her tweet wrote, “Lakhmipur Kheri SIT says incident was pre-planned, not an accident. Says Ashish Mishra should be tried for attempt to murder.”

    The TMC MP said that the main accused, MoS Ajay Mishra’s son Ashish, should be tried for attempt to murder.

    Attacking Prime Minister Narendra Modi in the last para of the same tweet, Moitra said  “Enough of Ganga dubkkis. Get justice back on track, fire Ajay Mishra & see this end”.

    ​ALSO READ | Lakhimpur Kheri violence: Rahul Gandhi demands minister be removed from post and PM apologise

    Ashish Mishra is one the accused in the Lakhimpur-Kheri incident in which four farmers were allegedly mowed down while they were protesting against the three farm laws.

    Sources said that the SIT formed by the Uttar Pradesh government to investigate into the incident, has reportedly stated that the Lakhimpur Kheri incident was a ‘planned conspiracy’ to crush the farmers on protest against the farm laws on October 3. 

    The political parties in opposition after the leaked finding of SIT have stepped up their attacks on the BJP-led Central government and are also demanding the immediate removal of MoS Ajay Mishra.

  • Mowing down farmers in Lakhimpur Kheri a ‘well-planned conspiracy’: SIT

    Express News Service

    LUCKNOW: In a major development, almost two and a half months after the incident of violence which rocked Lakhimpur Kheri, the sugar bowl of Uttar Pradesh, claiming eight lives, including four farmers and a local journalist, the Special Investigation Team (SIT) has concluded that the incident was ‘pre-planned’ and not an act of negligence and accident.

    Ashish Mishra, the son of Union Minister of  State for Home, Ajay Mishra ‘Teni’, is the key accused in the case along with 13 others.

    Moreover, the SIT has also sought to add several sections of IPC pertaining to the attempt to murder and other charges against all the 14 accused in the case. The SIT has added Section 302 (murder), 307 (attempt to murder), 326 (voluntarily causing grievous hurt by dangerous weapons or means) and 34 (Acts done by several persons in furtherance of common intention).

    The accused were presented in court on Tuesday. Senior Public Prosecutor, Lakhimpur Kheri, S P Yadav said the SIT requested the court that besides IPC Sections 307, 326, 34, Sections 3, 25 and 30 of the Arms Act should also be invoked against all 13, in addition to the charges mentioned in the FIR (of murder and criminal conspiracy, among others). The court is yet to decide on the SIT’s application.

    The SIT also urged the court to drop three IPC Sections against the accused, including 279 (for rash driving), 338 (causing grievous hurt by acts endangering life or personal safety of others) and 304 A (death by negligence).

    The Chief Investigating Officer (IO) of SIT, Vidyaram Diwakar submitted the probe report in the court and claimed that it was not a case of accidental death while driving negligently. “There is a case of conspiracy to crush the mob, murder and attempt to murder as per a well-thought-out conspiracy,” said the IO in the report.

    ALSO READ | Farm protests: From Republic Day violence to Lakhimpur Kheri, it was controversies galore

    However, the Supreme Court had also taken cognizance of the matter and had directed the Special Investigation Team to complete the investigation expeditiously. The Supreme Court had appointed retired Punjab and Haryana High Court judge, Justice Rakesh Kumar Jain, to monitor the probe into the incident. The bench headed by Chief Justice NV Ramana had upgraded the Special Investigation Team (SIT) probing the case by incorporating three IPS officers — SB Shiradkar, Padmaja Chauhan and Preetinder Singh, who all do not belong to UP Cadre  — “to preserve the faith and trust of people in the criminal administration of the justice system”.

    It may be recalled that on October 3,  four farmers were mowed down by an SUV Thar Mahindra being allegedly driven by Ashish Mishra when he ploughed into a crowd of protesting farmers under Tikunia police station in Lakhimpur Kheri. The farmers were protesting against the scheduled visit of UP deputy CM Keshav Maurya and also the MoS Ajay Mishra Teni who had organized an event to which Maurya was invited.

    Following the death of four farmers, the furious crowd caught hold of two BJP workers and a driver of Ajay Mishra and lynched them in the spot on the fateful day.

    Consequently, a case was registered against Ashish Mishra under the relevant sections. Ashish Mishra and his accomplices including Luvkush, Ashish Pandey,  Ankit Das, Shekhar Bharti,  Kale and Sumit Jaiswal, were taken into custody gradually after Ashish Mishra’s arrest on October 12. The  SIT had sent all the accused to jail. Both the sessions and the Allahabad High Court have been denying bail to the accused since then.

    The incident had raised nationwide outrage with political parties and the farmers demanding the resignation of MoS Ajay Mishra Teni. In the wake of the upcoming electoral battle of  2022, the probe report may add to Mishra’s woes as the opposition has vociferously renewed its demand to sack Mishra. 

    However, after the submission of SIT report, MoS Ajay Mishra met his son in jail on Tuesday. Meanwhile, the opposition leaders like Congress Waynad MP Rahul Gandhi, Congress general secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra and Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav have demanded the government to make Mishra relinquish his post in the Union cabinet as his son’s complicity in the violence was proved.

  • Farmers hold ‘havan’ at Ghazipur to pray for Gen Bipin Rawat, 12 others who died in chopper crash

    By PTI

    GHAZIABAD: Farmers at the Ghazipur border on Friday organised a ‘havan’ to pray for Chief of Defence Staff General Bipin Rawat, his wife and 11 other defence personnel who were killed in a helicopter crash in Tamil Nadu.

    Besides farmers, national spokesperson of the Bharatiya Kisan Union (BKU) Rakesh Tikait, BKU Uttar Pradesh president Rajbir Singh Jadaun and other office-bearers attended the ‘havan’, according to the state vice president of the farmers’ group Rajbir Singh.

    A Mi-17V5 helicopter carrying Gen Rawat, his wife and 11 other defence personnel crashed near Coonoor in Tamil Nadu on Wednesday.

    ​ALSO READ | Army officers from Nepal, Lanka, Bangladesh join funeral procession of CDS Gen Bipin Rawat, wife

    As India’s first Chief of Defence Staff, Gen Rawat was tasked with bringing in theatre command and jointness among the three services, and he was pushing it with a tough approach and specific timelines over the last two years.

    Known to be forthright, fearless, and blunt at times, the 63-year-old strongly backed a policy of hot pursuit in dealing with cross-border terrorism and militancy in Jammu and Kashmir when he was the Army Chief between 2016 and 2019.

    Farmers were also busy dismantling the encampments they set up at the protest site over the past year as they got ready to head back home.

    Singh said the community kitchens will be operational till the protest site is completely cleared.

    The Ghazipur border is most likely to be vacated by Saturday, he said.

    ALSO WATCH:

    Meanwhile, a National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) official said National Highway 9 will be opened for commuters after a technical inspection of the stretch where the farmers were camping for over a year and its pillars is completed.

    Once the farmers vacate the highway, NHAI engineers will conduct an inspection and repair the damaged portions, if any, Arvind Kumar, project director, NHAI, told PTI.

    The Samyukt Kisan Morcha (SKM), which spearheaded the farmers’ agitation against the Centre’s farm laws, on Thursday decided to suspend the movement and announced that farmers will go back home on Saturday from the protest sites on Delhi’s borders.

    The agitation, which began in November last year, mainly drew farmers from Punjab, Haryana and Uttar Pradesh.

  • Sonia Gandhi slams Centre on farmers’ issue, Nagaland civilian killings, price rise at CPP meet

    Express News Service

    NEW DELHI: Congress chief Sonia Gandhi hit out at the Central government on multiple issues at the Congress’ parliamentary party meeting on Wednesday and said that the Congress will continue to support the cause of the farmers.

    Sonia Gandhi said that the three farm laws were repealed “undemocratically”, just as their passage last year was pushed through without discussion. She added that the Congress stands firm in its commitment to stand by the farmers in their demands for a legally guaranteed MSP, remunerative prices that meet the costs of cultivation and compensation to the bereaved families.

    Addressing the Congress Parliamentary Party (CPP) at Central Hall in the Parliament, she said, “Farmers and their organisations have been strongly protesting and agitating against these laws for the past thirteen months. It is the solidarity and tenacity, of the farmers, their discipline and dedication that has forced an arrogant Government to climbdown. Let us salute them for their great achievement.  Let us remember that more than 700 farmers have been martyred in the past twelve months and honor their sacrifice.”

    She attacked the Centre over price rise of essential commodities and the Narendra Modi-led Centre’s failed attempts to address the issue.

    “Since this session commenced, we have also been raising the issue of spiralling prices of all essential commodities. I cannot understand how and why the Modi Government is so insensitive and that it continues to deny the seriousness of the problem. It seems impervious to the suffering of the people,” she added.

    Terming the reduction in petrol, diesel and cooking gas prices a totally insufficient and inadequate move, Sonia Gandhi said, “As usual, the government has passed on the responsibility for duty cuts to financially strapped state governments – when it itself has far greater room for action.  And all this while, the Centre persists with huge public expenditure on vain glorious projects!  The prices of edible oils, pulses and vegetables are burning a hole in the monthly budget of every household. The rising prices of cement, steel and other basic industrial commodities also does not bode well for economic recovery.”

    On the ongoing rift at the India-China border, she said it is extraordinary that Parliament has been given no opportunity whatsoever so far to have a discussion on the challenges we continue to face on our borders. 

    “Such a discussion would have also been an opportunity to demonstrate a collective will and resolve. The government may not want to answer difficult questions but it is the right and duty of the Opposition to seek clarifications and explanations. The Modi Government steadfastly refuses to allocate time for a debate. I would once again urge for a full-fledged discussion on the border situation and relations with our neighbours,” she added.

    With new Covid-19 variant Omicron creating global scare, she said “medical experts have clearly said that every adult must receive two doses of vaccination.”

    “The Modi Government indulged in massive publicity and celebrations when the 100-crore dose mark was reached. Needless to say, it never bothered to mention that the 100-crore mark figure was for a single vaccination only. The sad reality is that the country is nowhere close to reaching the level of double-dose vaccination announced by the Government for the end of the year.  Efforts must clearly be intensified—the daily vaccination dose has to increase four-fold so that even 60 per cent of the population is covered with both doses,” she said.

    She demanded justice for families of civilians killed in Nagaland by army and that credible steps must be taken to prevent the recurrence of such ghastly tragedies.  

    On the suspension of 12 Rajya Sabha MPs, Sonia Gandhi called it outrageous and  unprecedented, and that it violates both the Constitution and the Rules of Procedure and Conduct of Business in the Council of States.