 "Yogendra Yadav")
The Samyukta Kisan Morcha (SKM) reiterated its demand on Wednesday for a fair probe into the lynching of a Dalit man at the farmers' protest site at the Delhi-Haryana border in Singhu.
The umbrella body of farmer unions, which is spearheading the agitation against three new agriculture laws of the Centre, also alleged that a fair investigation into the Lakhimpur Kheri violence is "not possible with Ajay Kumar Mishra continuing as a Union minister.
"We reiterate our demand for a comprehensive investigation into the conspiracy related to the brutal murder at the Singhu border on October 15. While the attempt to tarnish the image of the farmers' movement has not succeeded, the true story behind the whole episode has to come out to reveal to the world what the BJP is up to," the SKM said in a statement.
On October 15, the body of Lakhbir Singh, a Dalit labourer, was found tied to a barricade at the Singhu border, where the anti-farm law protesters are camping, with a hand chopped off and multiple wounds caused by sharp-edged weapons.
In a video clip that surfaced on social media platforms, some Nihangs were seen standing around the injured man with his severed left hand lying next to him. The Nihangs were heard accusing the man of desecrating a holy book of the Sikhs.
However, the victim's family has questioned the attackers' claim that he committed sacrilege and has demanded a high-level probe into the incident. So far, four people have been arrested in connection with the gruesome killing.
"As more news emerges about a group of Nihang Sikhs having met the Union agriculture minister in the presence of other people with dubious antecedents, and even about the offer of money for leaving the morcha sites, the SKM reiterates its demand for a comprehensive investigation into the conspiracy related to the brutal murder at the Singhu border," the morcha said.
Referring to the Supreme Court hearing in the Lakhimpur Kheri matter on Wednesday, it alleged that the statements of eyewitnesses to the incident were not recorded.
"A fair investigation in this matter and securing justice are not possible with Ajay Mishra 'Teni' as a Union minister. The SKM once again demands speedy justice and says that it is possible only if Ajay Mishra 'Teni' is sacked and arrested," it said.
Four of the eight people who died in the Lakhimpur Kheri violence on October 3 were farmers who were allegedly knocked down by a vehicle carrying Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) workers. Angry farmers then allegedly lynched two workers of the saffron party who were travelling in the car and their driver.
Farmers have claimed that Union Minister of State for Home Ajay Kumar Mishra's son Ashish was in one of the vehicles, an allegation denied by him and his father.
Ashish Mishra was arrested in the case on October 9.
(Only the headline and picture of this report may have been reworked by the Business Standard staff; the rest of the content is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
