New Delhi: Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal condemned the murders of the farmers at Lakhimpur Kheri and said that the Uttar Pradesh government has been protecting the perpetrators of the massacre at Lakhimpur, where Union Minister of State (Home) Ajay Mishra's son allegedly deliberately ran his car — an SUV — over farmers returning from a protest.
The CM demanded the immediate arrest of the perpetrators and the sacking of UP CM Yogi Adityanath. Kejriwal while addressing the PM asked why the murderers have not been arrested? "Why is there such a state of helplessness all around? Why are those murderers being protected? Those murderers barbarically ran their car over the innocent farmers in broad daylight and yet those murderers haven't been arrested?" he said.
The criminals did not just kill the farmers, they murdered the spirit and soul of each and every farmer and downtrodden person of the country and as if that car ran over the government itself and killed the entire system, he said.
"Today the system is claiming that the Minister's son was not present in that car at all. A week later they will say there was no car at all. A week after that they will say there were no farmers at that spot. The truth is that there is no rule or respect for law left today," Kejriwal said.
"Farmers are sitting on the border, more than 600 have lost their lives and now they are being crushed to death; Why is there so much hatred for farmers in the system?" he asked.
On the one hand, the Central government is celebrating the Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav and on the other hand, it is arresting the leaders from the opposition when they are going to support and console the bereaved families of the victims, Kejriwal noted.
"What are you trying to hide from the nation? Why are you not letting the media or the politicians and farmers of this country go to that place? The nation wants to know what happened in Lakhimpur and why the perpetrators are being protected," he said.
Kejriwal asked the Prime Minister to sack the minister involved and meet the families of the victims, who will get some strength when the PM supports them. He further said, "A car came, murdered people and no action was taken upon them. What message do you want to give out to this country by protecting murderers? Is there no value of life left for you? If someone's a politician or a rich and powerful person, they can get away with murdering people under your watch?"