New Delhi, Oct 7 (PTI) The CPI(M) on Thursday said the "gruesome attack" on protesters in Lakhimpur Kheri in Uttar Pradesh marked a "new level of violence" against the farmers' movement that has been going on for the last 10 months.
The latest editorial in the party's mouthpiece, "People's Democracy", said the "brazen attack" on the farmers came in the backdrop of the Centre "hardening" its position on the farmers' agitation against three new farm laws.
"In the case of Lakhimpur Kheri, the minister, Ajay Mishra, had made a provocative speech on September 25 threatening violence against the farmers protesting against the farm laws.
"The attack on the farmers followed a few days later. The statements of the BJP ministers and leaders have assumed a tone of desperation seeing the continuing intensity of the farmers' movement and their inability to disrupt it," the editorial said.
It also said each time the state machinery sought to use the police force or other methods to suppress the movement, the farmers fought back.
When it is alleged that a Union minister of state is responsible for provoking such a violent incident, in which his own son is involved, it is the "elementary duty" of the prime minister and the government to remove him from this position, the editorial said.
"But this has not been done. The prime minister and the Union home minister have not even condemned the killing of the farmers. The prime minister did not even refer to the incident during his visit to Lucknow two days later.
"The violence unleashed on the protesting farmers in Lakhimpur Kheri is an act of desperation on the part of the ruling party. Such violence cannot cow down the farmers' struggle," it added.
Eight people were killed in the Lakhimpur Kheri violence on Sunday. Of the eight, four were farmers, who were allegedly knocked down by vehicles driven by BJP workers travelling to welcome Uttar Pradesh Deputy Chief Minister Keshav Prasad Maurya to an event in the area.
The other four were two BJP workers, a driver of Union Minister of State for Home Ajay Kumar Mishra and Raman Kashyap, a journalist working for a private television channel.
An FIR under section 302 of IPC (murder) has been registered against the Union minister's son, Ashish Mishra, and others in connection with the incident at the Tikonia police station but no arrest has been made so far.
