Lakhimpur Kheri: SKM to hold ‘Rail Roko’ tomorrow demanding removal of MoS Ajay Mishra

The Samyukta Kisan Morcha will go on with their ‘rail roko’ agitation on Monday. The agitation was announced earlier after the Lakhimpur Kheri violence. The umbrella union of the farmers had said they would hold a mega protest if Union minister Ajay Mishra Teni was not removed from his post. On Sunday, the union said it will “hold a six-hour nationwide rail roko agitation pressing for the demand of the removal of the minister whose son Ashish Mishra has been arrested in connection with the Lakhimpur Kheri violence.”

“To press for its demand for MoS Home Ajay Mishra’s dismissal and arrest, so that justice can be secured in the Lakhimpur Kheri massacre, Samyukt Kisan Morcha has announced a nation-wide Rail Roko program tomorrow,” the union said in a statement.

Also Read | Lakhimpur Kheri violence: Did holes in alibi lead to Ashish Mishra’s arrest?

“SKM put out a call to its constituents to stop rail traffic for six hours on October 18, between 10 am and 4 pm. The SKM asks for this action to be taken up peacefully, without any destruction and damage of any kind to any railway property,” it added.

Although the train movement will potentially be affected, the union has promised to ensure no destruction or damage to any railway property. The rail roko agitation will take place between 10am and 4pm.

On October 3, the union minister’s car mowed down four farmers in Lakhimpur Kheri. As violence ensued after, four more people, including a journalist, died. The other dead included two BJP workers and their driver. Minister’s son Ashish Mishra is the main accused in the case as the FIR said he was inside the car when this happened. Ashish was arrested by the SIT despite asserting that he was not in the car at the time of the incident. The Congress is also demanding removal of the minister.