To protest against the farmers' killing in Uttar Pradesh’s Lakhimpur Kheri, a statewide bandh has been declared on October 11 by the Maharashtra Vikas Aghadi (MVA), the state’s ruling alliance of NCP, Congress and Shiv Sena. The reason for the bandh is being seen as an opportunity to corner the BJP and the Union Government over the killing of 11 people in the Lakhimpur Kheri violence.
Shiv Sena’s Rajya Sabha member Sanjay Raut on Saturday said that it was important to awaken the citizens against the Centre’s anti-farmers policies and said that his party will be a part of the Maharashtra bandh in full force. He also added that Sena might not have to put its weight behind the bandh as the people will show their support to the farmers and are not alone in this fight.
During a press conference with NCP spokesperson Nawab Malik and state congress spokesperson Sachin Sawant, Raut said, “All the three parties will actively participate in the bandh. What happened in Lakhimpur Kheri was a murder of the country’s Constitution, a violation of the law and a conspiracy to kill the food-provider farmers of the country.”
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Nawab Malik, a minister in Uddhav Thackery’s government termed the incident, “massacre”, and said BJP has become a party that kills farmers. He added, “We appeal to people that they must come together. We must keep our work shut for one day. Shopkeepers on their own must keep shops shut. Workers of the three parties will request shops, establishments and people to show support for the farmers,” The bandh would come into force from Sunday midnight. “We appeal to all the workers to not create any issues for the essential services, such as hospitals, ambulances, medical stories, milk supply, during the bandh,” he also said.
The Chhatrapati Shivaji Market Yard traders’ association has the closure of all fruit, vegetable, onion and potato markets on Monday as part of the Maharashtra bandh. Pune Agriculture Produce Market Committee (APMC) will be closed on Monday according to a decision of Traders associations. The traders’ union has appealed to all members to close the trade and the farmers to not bring their produce to the market on Monday.
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Leader of Opposition Devendra Fadnavis said that the Lakhimpur Kheri incident is being politicised by the ruling parties and the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has condemned the Maharashtra bandh.
The state cabinet on Wednesday passed a resolution expressing regret over farmers death in the incident and the ministers stood in silence for two minutes as a mark of respect.
The four farmers that were razed down on October 3 by an SUV were returning from the protest against the Centre’s farm laws in Lakhimpur Kheri. According to the farmers, Ashish Mishra, son of Union Minister of home Ajay Mishra Teni, was the occupant of the vehicle and had fled the scene after the incident. Ashish has been arrested and sent to judicial custody for 14 days. Along with farmers, four other people also lost their lives in the incident. In response to the incident, an angry mob lynched some of the people in the vehicles.