'Stop Trains': Indian Farmers Protest for Removal of Federal Minister Over Lakhimpur Kheri Violence

Farmers in India have been protesting for almost a year now, demanding the scrapping of three contentious farm laws passed by the BJP-led federal government last year. The government and the farmers' unions have held several rounds of talks. But none have borne fruit.

An umbrella body of multiple farmers' unions in India -- Samyukta Kisan Morcha (SKM) - is organising a "rail roko" (stop the trains) agitation on Monday. The six-hour nationwide protest is scheduled to continue from 10 a.m. until 4 p.m. (Indian time).

It aims to press the Narendra Modi government to remove federal Minister of State for Home Ajay Kumar Mishra over his son's alleged involvement in the recent Lakhimpur Kheri District violence in the state of Uttar Pradesh.

The SKM and the farmers took to social media to draw support for the protest. They have urged everyone to unite and stop the trains, a general form of protest to draw maximum public and government attention.

किसान आंदोलन के समर्थन में सहयोग करें
👇👇👇👇#आज_किसान_रेल_रोकेंग#आज_रेल_बंद_है@Syuktkisanmorch @Amitbharatpur05 pic.twitter.com/ySgzxb8Cif

— संयुक्त किसान मोर्चा (@Syuktkisanmorch) October 18, 2021

In a tweet in Hindi, the organisation said: "India cannot run without farmers. The farmers of India are demanding justice for themselves".

किसानों के बिना भारत नहीं चल सकता, किसानों की मांग, उनके लिए न्याय सबसे बड़ा इम्तिहान है। मुद्दा!! #आज_रेल_बंद_है#आज_रेल_बंद_है #आज_रेल_बंद_है pic.twitter.com/SHBp0afh6X

— संयुक्त किसान मोर्चा (@Syuktkisanmorch) October 18, 2021

A Twitter user said in a tweet: "Farmers demanding justice and honour for themselves".

!! जय श्री किसान !!
किसान के सम्मान में,,किसान परिवार मैदान में...#आज_रेल_बंद_है @Dmalikbku @RakeshTikaitBKU @Kisan_ItCell @news24tvchannel @KoharAbhimanyu @NareshTikait @BKU_MP @Syuktkisanmorch pic.twitter.com/ou2wkdJiI8

— किसान पुत्र अरुण कालीराणा रतवाय (@ArunJaa06267066) October 18, 2021

Violent acts took place aat Lakhimpur cannot be forgotten
A 6 hour railway blockade to be observed today against ‘NO ACTION’ being taken against the accused
Farmers frm various districts will be partaking#आज_रेल_बंद_है https://t.co/TSfLL8UAUT

— gurkirat singh (@gurkira68588343) October 18, 2021

Farmers shout slogans as they burn an effigy of India's Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Uttar Pradesh state Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath during a protest on the outskirts of Amritsar on October 6, 2021, days after 9 people died in violent clashes during a farmers protest in Lakhimpur Kheri district in Utta Pradesh

© AFP 2023 / NARINDER NANU

"It is very apparent that with Ajay Mishra being the MoS for home affairs in the federal government, justice cannot be secured in this matter", SKM said in a statement issued on Sunday. "He promoted hatred, enmity, and communal disharmony between Hindus and Sikhs in his speeches. It is his vehicles that were used to mow down peaceful protesters. He harboured his son and accomplices even as the police were issuing summons to Ashish Mishra".

Earlier in the day, Bharatiya Kisan Union (farmers' body) leader and national spokesperson Rakesh Tikait, while talking to the media, said that the agitation will take place at different places across various districts. "People across the country know where we shall stop trains", he said.

Meanwhile, the Uttar Pradesh Police have said that action will be taken against those who participate in the protest called by the farmers' organisation.

Law enforcement said that Section 144 has been imposed in the district, while the National Security Act (NSA) will be imposed if anyone tries to disrupt normalcy.

Section 144, which generally prohibits public gatherings, is imposed in urgent cases of nuisance or danger of some event that has the potential to cause trouble or damage to human life or property.

As per local media reports, 30 locations have been affected and eight trains were regulated in the Northern Railway Zone of the country

On 3 October, a convoy of three vehicles drove through a crowd of protesting farmers in the village of Tikonia in Lakhimpur Kheri in Uttar Pradesh.

After four farmers were mowed down by the minister's convoy, four others, including the minister's driver, two Bharatiya Janata Party workers, and a journalist, were beaten to death in the subsequent violence.

The federal minister's son, Ashish Mishra, who is accused of killing the farmers by hitting them in an SUV, has already been arrested.