Ashes of Lakhimpur Kheri farmers to be taken to various parts of Maharashtra from Oct 27 to Nov 18
Urns containing the ashes of the farmers, who were crushed to death in Lakhimpur Kheri, would be carried to various parts of Maharashtra to cover the 36 districts from October 27 to November 18, 2021.
The programme, called Kalash Yatra, is being organised by numerous farmers’ bodes, women’s organisations, student and youth bodies, organisations of farm labourers and other labour organisations. All these organisations are constituents of All India Kisan Sangharsh Samity. The details of the Kalash Yatra were announced at an online press conference this afternoon.
The press conference was addressed by Dr Ashok Dhawale, General Secretary, All India Kisan Sabha (AIKS), Medha Patkar of National Alliance of People’s Movements (NAPM), Dr Ajit Nawale and Namdeo Gawade both of AIKS, Maharashtra, Pratibha Shinde (Loksangharsh Morcha), Subhash Lomte of Swaraj Abhiyan and Subhash Kakuste of Lal Nishan party.
The urn containing the ashes, will first arrive at the residence of Mahatma Jyotiba Phule in Pune, known as Phule Wada at 11 am on October 27.
The ashes will then be put in other urns to be taken to other parts of Maharashtra. The responsibility of taking the ashes to other districts has been taken by various participating organisations.
The speakers at the press conference said that the aim of the Kalash Yatra, is not merely to pay homage to the farmers who were crushed to death in the motorcade, in which one of the vehicles that crushed the farmers, was driven by the son of Union Minister of State for Home Affairs, Ajay Mishra, but also to the over 650 farmers, who have died during the over eight-month agitation by farmers on the boundaries of Delhi. The farmers are demanding the scrapping of three Union laws, which they say are against the interests of the farmers.
The leaders, who addressed the press conference condemned the violence used by the government and its representatives against the farmers, who have been protesting in a non-violent manner, following the path of Mahatma Gandhi. They demanded the ouster of Ajay Mishra from the Union Government and his arrest in connection with the death of the farmers in Lakhimpur Kheri.
The ashes would also be taken to the Shivaji Statute at Shivaji Park in Mumbai, to the memorial of Shahu Maharaj in Kolhapur and Chaitya Bhumi, the Memorial to Dr Babasaheb Ambedkar in Mumbai.
The ashes will be brought to Mumbai on November 18. That day there would be public rally at the historic Azad Maidan and after that the ashes would be taken to the Hutatma Chowk in the city, a memorial to the 105 people, who were martyred in the police firing during the Samyukta Maharashtra agitation, for the inclusion of Mumbai in Maharashtra.