Lakhimpur Kheri victims’ families yet to get compensation, SKM tells Modi

The Samyukt Kisan Morcha urges PM to sack Union Minister Ajay Mishra Teni from Council of Ministers

Ahead of the first anniversary of the Lakhimpur Kheri incident on October 3, the Samyukt Kisan Morcha (SKM) has sent a letter to Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday urging him to sack Minister of State for Home Affairs Ajay Mishra Teni from the Council of Ministers. The SKM alleged in the letter that families of the farmers were not given adequate compensation. Four farmers and a journalist died and 13 people were injured at Lakhimpur Kheri after a car allegedly driven by BJP supporters ran over a procession of farmers.

The letter said Mr. Ajay Mishra Teni and his son Ashish Mishra Teni, who is an accused in the case, jointly hatched a conspiracy against the farmers. “The government had reached in an agreement with the families of farmers who died and with the protesters but most of the points in this agreement are not implemented yet. We had reiterated our demands and reminded the State government about the agreement on August 15, but the Chief Minister or any authorities did not give us an appointment,” the letter said.

The SKM reiterated that Mr. Ajay Mishra Teni should be sacked from the Cabinet and should be arrested immediately. “Your government is protecting him. It is shameful that he continues as a Minister,” the SKM said in the letter.

The Morcha alleged that four farmers’ activists are still in jail as the government foisted false cases on them. “We were told that the government will withdraw the charges and they will be released. But nothing happened yet,” the SKM said. The letter added that the injured people were not given any compensation and the promise that one family member of the deceased people will be given a government job is not implemented yet. The SKM has also decided to hold nationwide protest rallies on October 3 to mark the first anniversary of the incident.