Samyukt Kisan Morcha Suspends Yogendra Yadav For Visiting Deceased BJP Worker's House In Lakhmipur Violence

Yogendra Yadav had visited the house of the BJP worker who was killed by protestors after farmers were mowed down. Yogendra Yadav's move irked farmers' organisations in Punjab.

New Delhi: Yogendra Yadav has been suspended from Samyukt Kisan Morcha for a month. The action was taken after Yogendra Yadav offered his condolences by visiting the house of BJP activist Shubham Mishra, who was killed in the Lakhimpur Kheri violence. After the demands made by farmers' organizations in Punjab, Samyukt Kisan Morcha made the decision in a meeting held on Thursday evening.  

According to ABP News sources, Yogendra Yadav regretted that he did not consult other leaders of the Samyukt Kisan Morcha before visiting the house of a BJP worker, who was killed in Lakhimpur Kheri. But Yogendra Yadav did not apologize for his actions. Yogendra Yadav said he did nothing wrong by meeting the family members of the slain farmers and the bereaved family of the deceased BJP worker. There should not be any discrimination between the families of victims. However, the Samyukt Kisan Morcha said that by visiting the house of the deceased BJP worker, Yogendra Yadav insulted the farmers, who lost their lives in the Lakhimpur incident.  

A senior farmer leader said the decision was taken at a general body meeting of the SKM, which has been spearheading the nationwide protest against the Centre's farm laws.

"In its meeting, the SKM suspended Yogendra Yadav for a month as he had visited the family of a BJP worker who had died in Uttar Pradesh's Lakhimpur Kheri," he said, quoted PTI.

"He (Yadav) cannot participate in the meetings and other activities of Samyukta Kisan Morcha," the farmer leader added.

Yadav had attended the SKM's general body meeting on Thursday.

After giving tribute to a journalist and the farmers who were crushed to death in Lakhimpur Kheri, Yogendra Yadav also visited the house of a BJP worker who was beaten to death by protesters when the farmers were run over.

Yogendra Yadav's move irked farmers' organisations in Punjab. On October 3, protesting farmers were brutally crushed in Tikunia, Lakhimpur Kheri, resulting in the death of four farmers and a journalist. The main accused in the incident, the son of the Union Minister of State for Home Affairs has been arrested by the police. Farmers' organisations and opposition parties have been demanding the removal of Ajay Mishra from office since the incident.