Sharad Pawar compares Lakhimpur Kheri incident to Jallianwala Bagh

Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) president Sharad Pawar on Tuesday compared the mowing of farmers in Lakhimpur Kheri to the Jallianwala Bagh massacre. Calling the BJP governments at the Centre and Uttar Pradesh 'insensitive', he said both the governments would have to pay a heavy price for the killings.

"The situation which was created (in Lakhimpur) is similar to the Jallianwala Bagh (massacre). The government would have to pay a big price today or tomorrow for the incident," Pawar told reporters in Delhi.

He said: "Our country gives us the right to protest. Accordingly, farmers gathered at Lakhimpur and were holding a peaceful protest. People in the government, whether it be from Uttar Pradesh or the Centre, tried to suppress their voice...The BJP governments in UP and the Centre are responsible for this."


The NCP chief said the BJP governments did not even express their "sorrow" over the killings. "The governments, whether in Uttar Pradesh or the Centre, have been very insensitive (towards the Lakhimpur) incident."