Lucknow Police have arrested Samajwadi Party (SP) president Akhilesh Yadav in protest against the peasant agitation and his refusal to join the peasant march in Kannauj. He is charged with violating Section 144. Akhilesh Yadav accused the BJP government of suppressing the voices of farmers who oppose agrarian law. His party stands in support of activists demanding the return of black law.
The SP president will announce on Sunday that his party will support the demand of farmers’ organizations to repeal the agrarian law and will hold a Kisan Yatra across the state from Monday. He announced his participation in the Kisan Yatra organized on Monday in Kannauj. Following the announcement of the SP president, the cautious district administration has deployed police forces outside the SP office and the residence of the former chief minister, citing the Kovid protocol. As day passed, SP activists and leaders took to the streets. Some leaders tried to visit the SP chief’s residence, which was blocked by the police. Meanwhile, the SP president’s car and security guards have also been blocked from going to the residence. After the aftermath, the SP president took to the road and sat on the road at Bandariabag. He said police could arrest him if he wanted. Akhilesh Yadav accused the government of suppressing the voice of farmers. If the BJP takes the march, the Kovid protocol is not violated and if the farmers agitate, all the rules will be cited. Many of their workers and leaders have been taken into custody by the police but their party will continue to fight with the peasants until the black law on the acquisition of farmers’ land and crops is returned. Even if he had to offer any Kuberni for this.
The arrest of the respected national president by the police at the behest of the chief minister who joined the ‘Kisan Yatra’ is the culmination of crushing the voice of peasants under the pressure of power.
The struggle of the socialists against the injustice of the peasantry continues. pic.twitter.com/wLmRqRDhS3
– Socialist Party (Samajwadi Party) December 7, 2020
Meanwhile, in addition to Lucknow and Kannauj, clashes between SP activists and police have been reported in some other parts of the state. The police used mild force on SP workers in different parts of Lucknow and they were taken into custody. The district government argues that farmers’ marches are not allowed because of the possibility of a violation of the Kovid protocol.
Violation of my civil rights, Lok Sabha speaker should intervene: Akhilesh
Akhilesh Yadav has written to Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla seeking intervention after farmers were prevented from going to Kannauj to participate in the rally, citing violations of democratic values. In the letter – I have performed my constitutional responsibilities with the Lok Sabha member and SP president, and the former chief minister of Uttar Pradesh. My pre-announced program to support farmers is in Kannauj on December 7th. All the preparations have been made there. He wrote, I was prevented from attending the program on the instructions of the State Government. There is a huge police force at my residence on the Vikramaditya route. My vehicles were also confiscated by the police. This anti-democratic attitude of the state government is a violation of my civil rights. This is a matter of privilege violation as an MP. Please intervene immediately so that my right to conduct our democratic activities can be restored.
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