A Dargah (Muslim shrine), has repotedly been vandalised in Neemuch district of Madhya Pradesh. According to news reports, the shrine named Hazrat Bheda Peer Dargah Sharif, was vandalised allegedly by around two dozen masked men belonging to a Hindutva group. The attackers used explosives, damaging the structure, and also injured its caretaker, Khadim Noor Shah.
According to NewsClick, two devotees were also thrashed and robbed “on suspicion of religious conversion on the intervening night of Saturday and Sunday”. The shrine was partially damaged in the attack. The Neemuch Police, told the media that “unknown assailants tried to demolish the Bhedabhan shrine, situated in Jawad tehsil, using explosives from 11 P.M to 3 A.M, and also left a note behind alleging that the shrine was involved in converting Hindus to Islam.”
A report in Maktoob detailed that the mobsters “left a pamphlet that threatens to kill nearby Muslims” if the tomb is rebuilt. The mob repeated their claims that “the dargah was involved in converting Hindus to Islam” adding “If a Hindu goes to the tomb, we will target the Muslims”.
“They first tried to blow up the dargah with explosives, then tied Baba’s hands and feet, snatched the money and then threw him about 500m away from the dargah,” stated Kashif Kakvi the journalist who had first reported the attack and shared visuals.
MP के नीमच के जावद तहसील स्थित जाट में कल रात एक दरगाह को 20-25 अज्ञात लोगो ने #बारूद से उड़ाने कि कोशिश की।
Maktoob, reported that Noor Baba filed a complaint based on which an FIR was “registered against 24 unidentified people under the Indian Penal Code for inciting riots, causing damage to the place of worship, etc”. SP Suraj Verma confirmed the attack with the media, saying, “Some unidentified people damaged the religious place by using gunpowder and beat up some people and drove them away. BDS squad has also been called to investigate the explosion,”adding “a case has been registered against unidentified persons under sections 147, 148, 149, 295, 323, after the investigation as it is, will be done.”
A graphic video, showing a jeep mowing down a group of farmers walking on a track has gone viral and has raised vital questions. The video shows the vehicle running over farmers from the back, and has been shared as a the visual record of the Lakhimpur Kheri incident where four farmers were reportedly run over. Since Sunday October 3, when the incident occurred, the farmers who were at the site have shared small clips in closed groups that people were run over. The graphic visuals showed the badly injured men lying on the dirt track as others scrambled to help them. Some of the rushedly filmed clips circulating in these spaces had audio where those rushing to help, can be heard that the victims were run over by ‘Monu’, the nickname of Ashish Mishra, son of Ajay Mishra who is Union Minister of State in the Ministry Home Affairs (MHA).
Two days after the violence claimed nine lives, the video continues to trend on social media and political parties are sharing it as well. The videos, playing out on cell phones show a jeep running over protesting farmers, from the back. Right-wing defenders of the regime, however, are busy spinning the attack around and claiming that the vehicle had somehow been ‘attacked’ and was trying to get away. They ignore the fact that the driver ran over four innocent farmers, and could have run over more if the crowd did not jump out of its way.
A case in point is Aman Chopra of Network18, who when called out, tried to justified that if the driver was guilty so was the man who was accused of attacking a “BJP worker”.
…लेकिन गाड़ी की Windshield पहले से कैसे टूटी हुई थी। पूरा सच सामने आना अभी बाकी है।
The Congress party too posted a video purportedly of the incident, questioning the Modi government “silence” over the issue. The Prime Minister is yet to condole the deaths reported from Lakhimpur Kheri.
किसानों को पीछे से गाड़ी तले कुचलने वाले दिल दहलाने वाले विडीयो के 36 घंटे बाद भी देश के गृह राज्य मंत्री को न बर्खास्त कर और न हत्या का मुक़दमा दर्ज कर मोदी जी ने साबित कर दिया है कि वो लखनऊ में प्रजातंत्र के बर्बादी महोत्सव में शरीक होने जा रहे हैं।#Lakhimpur_Kheripic.twitter.com/HTwvj3g6Ud
The government is yet to make any comments on the video, which shows farmers walking along a road being run over, a farmer wearing a white shirt and a green turban, is seen landing on the bonnet. The jeep drives on and is followed by a black SUV. As there are injured people writhing in pain, the group of farmers rushes in to help, after a few moments of shock, as some other video had shown.
I was not in the car: Ashish Mishra
The farmers have alleged that the vehicles were part of the convoy of Ashish Mishra, son of Ajay Mishra, Union Minister of State (MoS) for Home Affairs. Ashish Mishra has been named in the FIR lodged in the case. However he has claimed that he was not in any of the vehicles part of the convoy.
Ashish Mishra claims, “The programme that was happening was an ancestral one. It has been going on for around 35 years… We have a tradition that when we have guests, we send two-three vehicles to receive them… the Mahindra Thar was my vehicle, one of our workers had a Toyota Fortuner and there was a smaller car.”
He told NTDV in an interview, “I was not in the car. I was at my paternal home in Banwirpur village where a wrestling match was being organised. I was there from the morning till the end of the event,” adding that it was the farmers who attacked the “Thar SUV that was in the front was attacked with sticks and stones. The driver Hari Om was injured or may have died in that attack. The car lost its balance and overturned. That’s how these two people who are being called farmers must have been injured.”
Meanwhile, the internet has been suspended, and Section 144 (CrPC) imposed in Lakhimpur Kheri by the authorities “to prevent any further untoward incident”. Opposition leaders have not been allowed to visit the protest site, or visit the families of the farmers who were killed. Former Uttar Pradesh chief minister Akhilesh Yadav and Congress general secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, reportedly remain in detention.
.@narendramodi जी आपकी सरकार ने बग़ैर किसी ऑर्डर और FIR के मुझे पिछले 28 घंटे से हिरासत में रखा है।
However, Bhim Army Chief Chandra Shekhar Aazad reportedly drove on a motorcycle and reached the place to pay his tributes to the victims.
देश के अन्नदाताओं की शहादत व्यर्थ नहीं जाएगी। शहीद किसानों को नम आंखों से नमन।
इतिहास गवाह है कि शहादतें क्रांति को जन्म देती हैं। तानाशाही भाजपा सरकार का अंहकार भी जल्द ही टूटेगा। किसान मजदूर एकता जिंदाबाद। pic.twitter.com/loXf24vCtb
The UP government continues to scrambled to contain the fallout of Lakhimpur Kheri, and had to depend on Bhartiya Kisan Union leader Rakesh Tikait to reportedly assure the victims families that justice will be done, and a Rs 45 lakh compensation will be paid to the family of deceased farmers. However, the government is yet to share if the main accused has been found yet. This is one of the biggest challenges now facing the Adityanath government.
The Madurai bench of Madras High Court has quashed proceedings against petitioners who protested the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) in December 2019. The bench of Justice G Ilangovan observed that there was no prima facie case against the two petitioners, and that no untoward incident happened even though the protest was carried out without permission.
The prosecution argued that on December 19, 2019, members of ‘Makkal Athikaram’ conducted a demonstration against the CAA and shouted slogans against the central party and allegedly disturbed the public without proper permission. Hence, a complaint was filed under sections 143, 341, 283 and 290 of the Indian Penal Code. The petition was filed to quash the proceedings on the ground that the allegations made in the final report, does not attract any of the ingredients of the offence alleged, against these petitioners.
The court said, “It is a common knowledge that against the Amendment of CAA (Citizenship Amendment Act), several protests, demonstrations and agitations took throughout of India and in abroad also. So, right to protest is well recognised. So, the only qualification is that it should not end in any violation.”
The court observed that as per the FIR, they made a protest against CAA but then dispersed themselves and hence no untoward or criminal act occurred. While the court observed that protesting without permission was not proper and can create nuisance, a reading of the statement recorded shows that the identification of persons who were involved in the occurrence, was not properly investigated.
The court also cited another judgement passed by the high court on October 5, 2020 in Crl.OP(MD)No.10774 of 2020, which also dealt with cases registered for protesting the CAA. In that as well, the bench had observed that the petitioner was a member of a political party and had organised the protest where no untoward incident had taken place.
Hence, the court took the view that no prima facie material was available against the petitioners and deemed the proceedings to be clear abuse of process of the Court and law. The court, thus, allowed the petition, and quashed the proceedings against the petitioners.
The Madhya Pradesh High Court seeks to know whether prisons in the state are well equipped in terms of infrastructure and facilities including healthcare and food for its inmates. The bench of Chief Justice Mohammad Rafiq and Justice Vijay Kumar Shukla has directed a member of each of the District Legal Services Authority (DLSA) and the Chief Judicial Magistrate (CJM) of the concerned district to make surprise visits to the prisons within next 6 weeks and gather this information. They are to also interview prisoners in order to gauge the on-ground situation in prisons.
While the court was given plenty of suggestions by the amicus curiae in this matter, based on data collected by National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB), the court deemed it necessary that before it passes specific directions in this regard, the real situation in prisons is brought to light. This focus on prison conditions and the facilities available to inmates came to the forefront due to the second wave of Covid-19 which stood to affect the overcrowded prisons in the state. Senior counsel CU Singh informed the court that as on March 31, 2021 as against the total capacity of 28,675 prisoners, there were 32,263 under-trial prisoners and 17,311 convicts, totaling to 49,763 prisoners, lodged in the different jails of the state; which meant that the prisons were overcrowded by 174%.
Amicus curiae suggestions
During the hearings, amicus curiae Sankalp Kochar brought to the court’s attention the deplorable condition of prisons and suggested reforms. More such suggestions came from senior advocate CU Singh appearing for a petitioner as well as from advocate Ajay Gupta appearing for an intervenor.
Kochar pointed out that there are no jails for women in the state, there are also no borstal schools for rehabilitation of young offenders between the ages of 18-21, there are no psychologists in the prisons for the mental health of prisoners, there is no mental health review board as mandated by Mental Healthcare Act, 2017 to receive quarterly reports from medical officers in prisons. He also pointed out that Madhya Pradesh has not provided financial assistance to prisoners on release and not even a single convict has been rehabilitated. He also stated that the state had the 2nd highest number of natural deaths of prisoners which meant there was a need for improving living conditions in the prisons by focusing on prevention of disease.
The suggestions include:
Mental Health Review Boards should be set up in the state,
Green Jail model of Narsinghpur should be emulated everywhere in the state,
All eleven Central Jails of the State should endeavour to get ISO 9001:2015 certification,
Special provisions/facilities should be made for disabled inmates and jail staff should be sensitised about their rights,
Separate protocol, treatment and accommodation should be provided for mentally disabled inmates as there are 752 mentally ill inmates across all prisons in the state,
United Nation Standard Minimum Rules for Treatment of Prisoners (The Nelson Mandela Rules) should be strictly implemented,
The Telangana model of training inmates in vocational trades should be followed since despite having 2nd highest number of inmates the gross value of sales proceeds from jail products is quite low at Rs. 2.77 crores.
The Welfare Board for Prisons, which is dysfunctional in the State, should be re-activated to provide financial assistance to released convicts,
A mechanism should be introduced for speedy resolution of pending complaints of the prisoners before the National Human Rights Commission and the State Human Rights Commission
All the unfilled vacancies of different levels/categories in the jails should be filled so as to optimize the efficiency of jail staff especially posts of Residential Medical Officers, Welfare Officers and Para Medical Staff
Amendment of parole rules to get rid of loopholes
Adequate number of toilets and bathrooms should be constructed in the prisons keeping in view the Rule 17 of the Standard Minimum Rules. One unit of the toilet fitted with flush typed latrine and cubical for bathing should be provided for every batch of 10 prisoners, with adequate water and proper arrangement to secure privacy of both by affixation of gates
Practice of preparing food for 1,000-2,000 inmates at one go should be discontinued and as recommended in Mulla Committee Report each kitchen should cater to maximum 200 prisoners. Automated roti makers should be procured to ensure supply of healthy and properly cooked rotis to the prisoners. One sweet item should be provided to the prisoners once in a week, preferably on every Sunday during lunch hours
In order to avoid spread of water-borne diseases, water filtering plants should be setup
Separate dental care unit, basic diagnostic facilities, functional ambulance should be provided
Newspapers, magazines, novels should be procured, movies should be shown once in a fortnight
Regular sports and gaming activities should be promoted in jails
Training in vocational trades should be provided
Use of video conferencing facility should be made effectively functional in all Central Jails
The Collectors of each district should be directed to constitute a Board of Visitors, who should periodically visit the jails. District Collectors/Additional District Collectors and Sessions Judges/Chief Judicial Magistrates of each district should periodically visit the jails and submit their report/notes
Open jails should be set up
The court’s directions
The court refused to pass any specific directions with regards to the suggestions but at the same time found the state’s response to these suggestions to be inadequate and unsatisfactory. The court thus sought a specific-considered and detailed response to each of the suggestions from the state. Also, before issuing specific directions, the court has deemed it appropriate to comprehend the magnitude of the problem on the basis of actual position obtained in different prisons by having them physically inspected.
The court thus directed the Member Secretary, District Legal Services Authority accompanied by Chief Judicial Magistrate of each district to make surprise inspection of all the Central Jails and District Jails falling in their jurisdiction, on any day within next six weeks, and privately interview as many prisoners as they may consider necessary and submit their report to the court. The court has sought to know through these reports in detail about sanitation, food, health care, recreational activities, educational activities, vocational activities, infrastructure and welfare. The court has given questions in detail for each of these topics to be covered during this visit.
The court has directed that the copy of the order be forwarded to Member Secretary, MP State Legal Services Authority and Director General of Prisons for compliance.
The case will next be heard on December 7.
On September 3, bench of Justices Sheel Nagu and Rajeev Kumar Shrivastava while dealing with the request of a convict to extend his suspension of sentence so that he can get good medical care for his ailments, directed the state government to establish Primary Health Centres (PHC) in prison premises to maintain the health of prisoners. The court had observed that primary healthcare facilities are not available in jail dispensaries and also secured transportation to hospitals outside jail premises is not available.
The Karnataka High Court has directed the state government to come up with a scheme to grant scholarships to children of those who died due to manual scavenging, as also providing compassionate appointment to their legal heirs under Prohibition of Employment as Manual Scavengers and their Rehabilitation Act, 2013, reported LiveLaw.
Section 13 of the Act provides for rehabilitation of persons identified as manual scavengers and under sub-section (1)(b) states that the children of a manual scavenger shall be entitled to scholarship as per the relevant scheme of the Central Government or the State Government or the local authorities.
Notably, this section does not concern itself with just those manual scavengers who have died, but all such persons identified as manual scavengers in the final list of manual scavengers published in pursuance of sub-section (6) of section 11 or added thereto in pursuance of sub-section (3) of section 12 of the Act.
The bench of Acting Chief Justice Satish Chandra Sharma and Justice Sachin Shankar Magadum has directed the government to come up with a uniform scheme in this regard as there is a lot of disparity in paying scholarship.
The counsel of the petitioner, All India Central Council Of Trade Unions, informed the court that in the compliance report submitted by the state government under the head of scholarship, an amount of Rs 1,000 is mentioned while in some cases Rs. 10,000 has been given by the state. Hence there is lack of clarity whether the amount is paid monthly or yearly or as a one time measure.
To this, the court responded that if the lump sum is Rs. 1,000 then it is an eye wash and the Rs.10,000 whether it is yearly or monthly in unclear.
The court has thus directed the state government to come up with a proper uniform scheme in this regard within 30 days. It also directed the state to complete within two months the survey for identifying and rehabilitating manual scavengers.
Specific incidents
The incident in Ramanagara that took place on June 4 took lives of 3 manual scavengers and the court has directed the state government to provide the family of the deceased with employment within a period of thirty days, reported LiveLaw.
Further in respect to the incident in Kalaburgi of January, where 2 manual scavengers lost their lives, casual appointment was granted to the legal heirs of those deceased. The court however pointed out that casual appointment can come to an end at any time and that they should be given training for some alternative profession/vocation as stipulated under section 13(1)(d).
While the continuous monitoring of the court in this regard is appreciated, it is not the mandate of the law. In clear terms, the Act has assigned functions to public servants to implement the provisions under the Act. The Court is simply passing directions on those lines to ensure that the families of manual scavengers receive the reliefs that are entitled to them under the Act. Especially in terms of rehabilitation, the District Magistrate is assigned with the task to ensure rehabilitation or any such subordinate officers or the concerned Municipality
Failure to provide safety equipment
The court was informed by Senior Advocate Jayna Kothari that the state has been non-compliant wit respect to providing necessary safety equipments at the local bodies as enumerated in the Rules under the Act. Rule 3, framed under the Act, provides for obligations of the employer towards employees engaged in the cleaning of sewer or septic tank and provision of safety equipment.
At the last hearing, on August 30, the court had directed the state to file a detailed chart in respect of equipment available with the corporations in terms of the Act of 2013. However, the state failed to file the same and hence the court has granted 30-days time to file the same.
Manual scavenging deaths
During the monsoon session, the Raja Sabha was informed by the Minister of Social Justice and Employment, Virendra Kumar, that 941 deaths related to cleaning sewers and septic tanks have been recorded across 21 States and Union Territories, but there are no reports of death due to manual scavenging.
He further stated that as per the two surveys conducted by the local authorities in 2013 and 2018, as many as 58,098 persons have been identified as manual scavengers.
The farmers of India, who have been protesting the three farm laws for over 11 months, and are now dealing with the aftermath of the Lakhimpur Kheri violence that has claimed nine lives so far, have also marked an important milestone. After a day-long all-India agitation by the farmers, an FIR has been registered against Ashish Mishra, the son of Union Minister of State (MoS) for Home Ajay Mishra ‘Teni’.
The Uttar Pradesh Government has also reportedly assured the farmers that all the accused will be arrested within a week. According to information shared by All-India Kisan Mazdoor Sabha (AIKMS) the FIR is “as per complaint by families” of the victims and the accused were charged “under section 302, 120B”. It is likely that Minister Ajay Mishra may also be named in the complaint. An enquiry will also be conducted by a sitting High Court judge, stated AIKMS.
Uttar Pradesh Police ADG (Law & Order) Prashant Kumar had earlier told the media that the “Govt will give Rs 45 lakhs & a government job to the families of 4 farmers who died in Lakhimpur Kheri yesterday. The injured will be given Rs 10 lakhs.” Meanwhile, protests have been held across the country, according to a statement issued by Dr. Ashish Mital AIKMS, “Effigies of Modi Government (were) burnt in hundreds of villages” and “Memos submitted to officials.”
Politics have also begun to heat up over the issue. Opposition leaders who were attempting to reach the venue and stand in solidarity with the families of the farmers who were killed, were stopped from entering the district and many were detained, including Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, who then began a protest fast in detention. Videos of her confrontation with police personnel had gone viral on Sunday night. She told reporters that the “incident shows that this government is using politics to mow down farmers. This is the farmers’ country, not BJP’s… I’m not committing any crime by deciding to meet the victims’ kin…Why are you stopping us? You should have a warrant.” She had been detained in the Hargaon police station area.
Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav was also detained by the police from outside his residence in Lucknow, reported Indian Express. He then proceeded to sit on protest right there, and was reportedly detained outside his residence. Soon Punjab Deputy Chief Minister Sukhjinder Singh Randhawa and other MLAs from the state were also detained while trying to reach the UP district. According to sources a notice was issued to prevent politicians from reaching Lakhimpur Kheri, especially politicians from Punjab.
The move was slammed by CPI(M) general secretary Sitaram Yechury who stated that the BJP and the Centre, saying they have “no business to not allow” political leaders to visit Lakhimpur Kheri. “The BJP and Modi government have no business to not allow political parties to reach victims of the barbarism inflicted on farmers yesterday. Strongly condemn this draconian throttling of democracy,” he tweeted and joined a solidarity march
Joined CPI(M) UP State conference at Allahabad march condemning Lakhimpur brutality, demanding judicial enquiry under SC judge, arresting the criminal assaulters & sacking central minister. pic.twitter.com/cm16s77JPk
The killings have been widely condemned from all corners. Tapan Sen, General Secretary, CITU issued a statement condemning the “gruesome killings of farmers who were peacefully protesting at Lakhimpur Kheri in Uttar Pradesh” as well as the statement by the Haryana CM who has been caught on camera “directing RSS/BJP activists to unleash physical attacks on the struggling kisans.” He said, “This fascistic regime resorted to unleashing repressions. In the wake of upcoming State Assembly Elections in the largest state- Uttar Pradesh, where the “Defeat BJP Mission” announced by the kisan panchayat at Muzaffarnagar kisan rally that has already sent a shivering into the spine of Yogi & Co which led a desperate situation where RSS and its political platform- BJP is becoming restless. Thus they resorted to violence against farmers true to their fascist characters.” The CITU has called “upon the working class to come out in large numbers to condemn this dastardly killing and to express our class Solidarity with kisans.”
However, there has been a crackdown on other citizen’s protests as well. In Delhi students organisation AISA and others called for a protest demonstration at UP Bhavan in Delhi on Monday demanding that the Lakhimpur Kheri accused be arrested. However, they say that as soon as the protesters gathered, Delhi Police cracked down on the group, and allegedly used force to disperse the gathering and detain those present at UP Bhavan. “Some activists, including Neha, AISA Delhi State Secretary who marched from the Malcha Market towards UP Bhavan also faced violence, manhandling and detention,” accused AISA in a media statement.
Arbaz Aftab Mullah, a 24-year-old youth was found decapitated on the railway tracks in Belagavi on September 28. The news had failed to make it to the national discourse, till it came to light that he was “murdered” allegedly over his “interfaith relationship”. His mother Najeema Shaikh, a school teacher, put it on record in her police complaint that she “suspected the father of the Hindu girl, with whom her son was involved”, and some others she stated were “associated with a radical right-wing group” of murdering her son.
According to reports, a post-mortem investigation of Arbaz’s mutilated body has “revealed it to be a case of murder.” Najeema Shaikh named ‘Maharaj’, and another right-wing activist, who identified himself to her as ‘Birje’, in her complaint apart from the father of the Hindu girl. According to the Indian Express, the officers investigating the case have “some leads to indicate that Arbaz’s relationship with a Hindu girl had led to the murder” and that “all the accused have been identified”. Najeema Shaikh told the IE that she and the Hindu girl’s family were aware of the two-year-old relationship, “we were living in Khanapur (a taluk in Belagavi)… I spoke to the girl’s mother then to stop her from meeting Arbaz and I told Arbaz the same too. However, we were being threatened by their family, so we recently relocated to Belagavi city.”
She said that two days before her son went missing, they both met two Hindutva activists, one of whom she identified as ‘Maharaj’. “We were threatened with dire consequences and they told us to come near Khanapur to settle the matter. On September 26, Arbaz and I went there and, in their presence, Arbaz deleted all the photos of his girlfriend on his phone. They also took some money from us. They told me that there were at least a thousand people ready to lynch Arbaz and me. I requested them to allow us to lead a peaceful life and we left from there. Arbaz disposed of his old SIM card and took a new one too,” Najeema told the IE. On the fateful day, September 28, Najeema was reportedly in Goa for some work, and Arbaz was home till at least 5 P.M and had called her to ask “when I would be reaching home. I told him that I would reach by 7 P.M. Since I was worried for him, I told him to stay inside the house. When I returned, he was not home. We got to know that Arbaz was no more when police called the next day.”
A resident of Azam Nagar in Belagavi, Arbaz, was a civil engineering graduate who worked as a car dealer in Belagavi city, stated news reports. The railway police initially registered a case of unnatural death, after his body was found, however, the post-mortem revealed “stab injuries on the head, indicating that Arbaz was murdered” , reported Indian Express.
Superintendent of Police (Railways) Siri Gowri said, “After the victim’s mother filed a complaint, we regisstered a case under IPC 302 (murder),” and the case was to be transferred to the Belagavi district police.
The death toll in the Lakhimpur Kheri violence, climbed to nine after the body of Raman Kashyap, a journalist, was found on Monday morning. Kashyap, according to media reports, hailed from the Nighasan area, and had been missing since Sunday from Lakhimpur. His tragic death has given fodder for right-wing trolls to put a communal spin on the horrific violence reported from Lakhimpur Kheri on Sunday.
By Monday noon, right-wing aligned news media had put its own spin on the coverage pinning the blame of the 4 non-farmers killed in the violence, on the protesting farmers. The incident was termed ‘clashes’ as if the farmers too had come prepared and armed and launched ‘a counterattack’ when it was four of them who were killed when a speeding car ran over them. The vehicle was allegedly driven by
Ashish Mishra, the son of Union Minister of State (MoS) for Home Ajay Mishra ‘Teni’. He has, in turn, blamed the farmers, saying, “BJP workers were attacked, killed with sticks and swords.” Videos show some attackers asked our workers to say that I had asked them to mow down farmers. Allegations against my son are totally baseless. Had he been there, he would’ve been killed.” According to some news reports, “family members of the journalist identified his body on Monday” and alleged that “Kashyap, who was wearing a T-shirt flaunting an image of Bhindrawala, was lynched by the protesters.”
“BJP workers were attacked, killed with sticks and swords. Videos show some attackers asked our workers to say that I had asked them to mow down farmers. Allegations against my son are totally baseless. Had he been there, he would’ve been killed: MoS Home Ajay Mishra Teni
Perhaps some media houses such as TV-18 have decided the tone of their coverage early on. “Elections are due in the and it is farmers from Punjab who are protesting” said journalist Pallavi Ghosh as she anchored a news show that may be viewed here:
The reportage is that Opposition parties are now keen to maximize the ‘political opportunity’ as it were to visit Lakhimpur Kheri and show their voters that they stand in solidarity with the farmers. Uttar Pradesh’s ADG (Law & Order) Prashant Kumar told the media that Lakhimpur Kheri has been kept out of bounds and “leaders of political parties have not been allowed to visit the district because Section 144 of CrPC is in place. However, members of farmer unions are allowed to come here.”
However, even before any major political leader can reach the spoit, the news ‘coverage has put its own spin on the events that are ongoing.
Here are a few samples:
So brazen has been this ‘reporting’ that social media handles had begun trending hashtags such as “#दैनिक_जागरण_दलाल_है” meaning Dainik Jagran is a pimp/middle man, and “#इतनी_बेशर्मी_लाते_कहां_से_हो” or “where do you get such shamelessness from?” to call out the mainstream media which has been following the line that the farmers are somehow to blame for the violence at Lakhimpur Kheri.
Farmer leader Rakesh Tikait’s meanwhile, told the media that while extensive meetings were being held with the officers, they “admitted that it was the minister’s son’s fault” adding that “Ashish did not stop the convoy”. However no arrests have been made so far. And most mainstream media is yet to question why there has been a delay in arresting the accused.
Samyukta Kisan Morcha had also written to President Ramnath Kovind, seeking “action on the brutal killing of farmers in Lakhimpur Kheri, Uttar Pradesh”. They wrote that “the whole country is outraged by the incident of the brutal killing of farmers in broad daylight by mowing them down with vehicles in Lakhimpur Kheri” yesterday, adding, “Union Minister of State for Home Affairs Ajay Kumar Mishra “Teni”‘s son and his goon accomplices carried out this murderous attack in a brazen manner which shows a deep conspiracy of Uttar Pradesh and Central Governments. Ajay Mishra had already built a context to this attack by giving inflammatory and derogatory speeches against the farmers. It is no coincidence that on the same day, Haryana Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar is publicly inciting his party workers to take up lathis and indulge in violence against farmers.”
The SKM detailed their demands to the President:
1. Union Home Minister Ajay Mishra Teni should be immediately dismissed from his post and a case should be filed against him for inciting violence and spreading communal hatred.
2. The Union Minister’s son Ashish Mishra “Monu” and his fellow goons should be immediately booked for 302 (murder) and arrested immediately.
3. The investigation of this incident should be done by an SIT under the supervision of the Supreme Court.
4. Haryana Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar, who is inciting violence while holding a constitutional post, should be sacked from his post.
Farmer leaders have said that till the demands are met, further talks or negotiations with the government over the farm laws will not be held
The farmer victims were identified as Lovepreet Singh (20), Daljeet Singh (35), Nachattar Singh (60) and Gurvinder Singh (19). Around 15 others were reportedly injured and hospitalised. A badly injured SKM leader, Tajinder Singh Virk, has reportedly been brought to a Gurgaon hospital for further treatment. However, most of this has not made it to the headline, nor have the peaceful protests that were carried out across the country’s District Collector’s/DM’s/DC’s offices in all districts on Monday.
However, some media houses such as Jagran, Rediff etc are now reporting that “Farmers in Uttar Pradesh’s Lakhimpur Kheri, who have been protesting over yesterday’s deaths, have reached an understanding with the government and called off the protest.” While no farmer union has confirmed this “compromise” the reports added that “the government has promised to pay a compensation of Rs45 lakh to the families of those who died. The injured will receive a compensation of 10 lakh” and that “farmers have also agreed to cremate the bodies of the four people who were allegedly mowed down by a car carrying the son of Union minister Ajay Kumar Mishra.”
