Rail roko

Farmers’ organisation Samyukt Kisan Morcha (SKM) has announced a 6-hour nationwide ‘Rail Roko’ protest on Monday demanding immediate arrest of Union MoS for Home Affairs Ajay Misra Teni over the Lakhimpur Kheri violence case.

The SKM, a joint organisation of 40 farmers’ unions, made it clear that “until justice is not done in the Lakhimpur Kheri case, the agitation will not only continue but will intensify further”.

The bandh call is likely to affect the train services on Monday.

Also read: Lakhimpur Kheri incident: UP court denies bail to Union minister Ajay Mishra’s son

SKM in a statement said: “There will be a 6-hour rail roko protest on Monday, under which rail services will be disrupted across India from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Rail roko will be completely peaceful and there will be no damage to railway property.”

The farmers’ body also appealed to all its constituents to strictly follow the guidelines.

A media report quoted Rajveer Singh Jadoun, Uttar Pradesh president of the Bhartiya Kisan Union, as saying, “We have drawn up the outline of the Rail Roko agitation. Necessary guidelines have been issued to the farmer leaders of all the districts.”

He added, “At the district level, our farmers will go to railway stations and disrupt rail services.”

A total of 9 people, including 4 farmers, died in Lakhimpur Kheri on October 3.

The farmers were allegedly mowed down by a vehicle linked to the minister.

The incident sparked massive violence in which angry farmers allegedly lynched some people in the vehicles.

Farmers claimed that Ashish Misra, son of the Union minister, was in one of the vehicles which mowed down the farmers.

However, arrested Ashish Misra denied the allegation.

Ashish Misra was taken into custody on October 9.