Maharashtra bandh tomorrow to back farmers after Lakhimpur Kheri incident
Leaders of the Maharashtra Vikas Aghadi (MVA) have urged people to show support for Farmers by closing their shops and establishments during the statewide bandh (strike) on Monday. Monday's bandh has been called by the MVA—the ruling coalition of the NCP, Congress, and Shiv Sena—to protest against the killing of four farmers in Uttar Pradesh's Lakhimpur Kheri. Here are more details.
'Process of showing solidarity with them must begin from Maharashtra'
Addressing the media, Shiv Sena spokesperson Sanjay Raut said that his party will participate in Monday's band with "full force." With a call to wake people up against the Centre's anti-farmer policies, Rawat said the Lakhimpur Kheri incident was a "murder of the country's Constitution" and "a conspiracy to kill" farmers. "The process of showing solidarity with farmers must begin from Maharashtra."
We request people to shut work one day: NCP
NCP's Nawab Malik, who was also present with Raut, said, "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." Stating that the bandh would start from Sunday midnight, Malik appealed to the party workers to "not create any issues for essential services" during the bandh.
Traders bodies support bandh; fruit, vegetable markets to remain closed
Meanwhile, traders' bodies have also decided to support the bandh and keep Pune Agriculture Produce Market Committee (APMC) closed on Monday. The Chhatrapati Shivaji Market Yard traders' association has announced that all the fruit, vegetable, onion, and potato markets will remain closed on Monday. They have also urged farmers not to bring their agricultural produce to the markets on Monday.
BJP opposes bandh; slams MVA for 'politicizing' incident
Separately, the Bharatiya Janata Party opposed the statewide bandh called by Maharashtra's ruling coalition. BJP's Leader of Opposition in the state, Devendra Fadnavis, said that the ruling parties are politicizing the Lakhimpur Kheri incident.
What happened in Lakhimpur Kheri?
Four farmers died in Uttar Pradesh's Lakhimpur Kheri last Sunday after Union Minister of State for Home Ajay Mishra's convoy mowed down a group of protesting farmers. Farmers alleged that the Minister's son, Ashish, was driving the vehicle that killed four protesters. After much delay, the UP Police on Saturday arrested Ashish and sent him to 14-day judicial custody.
