Maharashtra government declares bandh on October 11 against Lakhimpur violence

The Maha Vikas Aghadi government on Wednesday announced a Maharashtra Bandh on October 11 to condemn the Lakhimpur violence and to express solidarity with farmers. The decision to observe a bandh was taken during the Cabinet meeting on Wednesday by the three main parties of the MVA alliance - the Shiv Sena, NCP and Congress.

"We have decided that the Lakhimpur incident needs to be condemned, we also need to express solidarity with farmers. The BJP is behaving in a very cruel manner and is trying to crush farmers' movements everywhere. Except essential services, everything else in the state would be shut," said NCP minister Jayant Patil after the cabinet meeting.

The NCP minister said more pressure needs to be put on the UP government as they have still not arrested the main accused in the case. "The minister's son is involved in the incident, the police are letting go of the culprit. There has been no arrest," Patil said.


Sena minister Eknath Shinde said the three parties had taken the decision together as the Lakhimpur incident was 'a blot on humanity'. Balasaheb Thorat of the Congress said the bandh was meant to show the 'people's displeasure towards the incident'.