Farmers in Punjab, Haryana hold demonstrations at various places over Lakhimpur violence

Irate farmers in Punjab and Haryana held demonstrations at many places in both states on Monday, demanding the arrest of Union minister Ajay Mishra's son in connection with the violence that broke out during a farmers' protest in Uttar Pradesh's Lakhimpur Kheri. The protesters burnt effigies of the Centre and the UP government at various places and raised slogans against the BJP.

Holding demonstrations outside the offices of deputy commissioners, the farmers demanded that Minister of State for Home Ajay Mishra be sacked in connection with the violence.

The demonstrations were held at Patiala, Mohali, Ferozepur, Amritsar, Rupnagar, Moga, Muktsar in Punjab, Ambala, Kurukshetra and Fatehabad in Haryana and UT Chandigarh.


The protesters also demanded action against Haryana Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar for his remarks against farmers.

Khattar on Sunday had talked about "tit for tat" during a meeting of the BJP's Kisan Morcha in Chandigarh when he told the gathering to form groups of 500 to 1,000 and be prepared to even go to jail.

Eight people were killed on Sunday as violence erupted during a farmers' protest in Lakhimpur Kheri, claiming the lives of both farmers and BJP workers ahead of a visit by UP Deputy Chief Minister Keshav Prasad Maurya.

Four of the dead were people in the cars, apparently a part of a convoy of BJP workers who had come to welcome the UP minister. They were allegedly thrashed to death. The four others were farmers, officials said.

An FIR has been registered against the Union minister's son and several other persons in connection with the violence.