Lakhimpur Kheri: 'Cautious' BJP to comment only on govt measures

A day after eight people were killed in Lakhimpur Kheri, BJP leaders have desisted from comment. They have focused on 'justice to everyone' and expressed satisfaction over the state's announcement of ex gratia of ₹45 lakh and a government job to the next of kin of the killed farmers.

BJP has been trying hard to woo agitating farmers in the last few weeks, announcing several measures such as increasing support price for sugarcane. Party leaders have been interacting with farmers and at the time of the clashes in Lakhimpur Kheri, UP deputy CM Dinesh Sharma was at a Kisan Sammelan in Firozabad, highlighting schemes for farmers by the central and state governments.

BJP leaders were also cautious as PM Modi is set to visit Lucknow on Tuesday. "What happened in Lakhimpur is very unfortunate and now the government has ordered an enquiry and justice would be done in the case. In such a situation, I don't want to make any political comments on the issue," BJP Kisan Morcha president Rajkumar Chahar told ET. At a Monday afternoon meeting, UP BJP leaders decided that the party will only highlight the state government's measures taken to diffuse tension to prevent a Hathras or a Sonbhadra type scenario. BJP's co-in charge for UP, Y Satya Kumar told ET the party would show how "opposition is politicising a very delicate situation and trying to provoke people in a sensitive zone".


The BKS, the farmer's union affiliated to the RSS, meanwhile, alleged that 'professional anarchists' were behind the incident.