'Barbarity won't stop farmers' movement': Left parties slam BJP over Lakhimpur Kheri violence

Hitting out at the BJP after eight people were killed in violence in Uttar Pradesh's Lakhimpur Kheri during a farmers' protest, the Left parties on Sunday said such "barbarity" will not stop the movement.

The violence broke out after two SUVs allegedly ran over a group of anti-farm law protesters who were demonstrating at the Tikonia-Banbirpur road. Two SUVs were set on fire by angry farmers.

Lakhimpur Kheri District Magistrate Arvind Kumar Chaurasia said four farmers and four others were killed in the incident. An Uttar Pradesh government official in Lucknow said four of the dead were travelling in the vehicles.

The farmers had assembled there to oppose UP Deputy Chief Minister Maurya's visit to Banbirpur, the native village of Union Minister of State for Home and MP Ajay Kumar Mishra.

The CPI(M), in a tweet, condemned the incident and said such "barbarity" will not stop the movement.

"Shocking news from Uttar Pradesh! Union Minister of State for Home Ajay Mishra's son runs over protesting farmers with his car in Lakhimpur Kheri. Three dead. This is the BJP. This is how they treat our 'annadatas' (food providers). Such barbarity will not cow down the farmers' protests," it tweeted.

Union Minister Ajay Mishra, however, has claimed that his son nor he was present at the site when the incident occurred.

Three BJP workers and a driver were beaten to death by "some elements" in the protesting farmers in Lakhimpur Kheri after a car in which they were travelling turned turtle following pelting of stones, he claimed.

Mishra told PTI over the phone that two farmers had died after coming under the car.

CPI(M) Politburo member Brinda Karat said that her party colleagues are going to Lakhimpur Kheri.

"Our comrades are going. I strongly condemn the incident. It is a shocking example of arrogance and hatred towards the farmers by BJP leaders.

"Farmers are fighting not for themselves but for India and food security. We stand with the farmers. The killing of four farmers is an unforgivable crime by the BJP government," she alleged.

CPI MP Binoy Viswam hit out at the BJP and said that people will take revenge for the "bullets" through the "ballot".

"Bullets for peasants, garlands for killers! Modi-Yogi raj is blood-thirsty raj. The people will take revenge on them through ballots. Sometimes ballots of the poor are more powerful than the bullets of the oppressors. Nothing can stop the farmers, They will fight, they will win," he tweeted.

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