The Samajwadi Party (SP) and Congress legislators on Monday staged separate demonstrations outside the Vidhan Sabha in Uttar Pradesh over inflation and Lakhimpur incident, respectively, while farmers' body called for rail roko protests elsewhere in the state.
The SP protested against inflation and rising fuel prices. And, the Congress MLAs staged their protest to demand the dismissal of Union Minister Ajay Misra Teni in the Lakhimpur Puri incident in which four farmers were mowed down by an SUV owned by the minister on October 3.
Both the parties staged demonstrations just before the one-day special Vidhan Sabha session began on Monday to mark 'Azadi ka Amrut Mahotsav'.
The SP MLAs carried cut-outs of LPG cylinders and black balloons, while the Congress MLAs sat with placards seeking dismissal of the minister. Both the groups shouted slogans against the government.
Rail Roko over Lakhimpur
Demanding Union Minister Ajay Mishra's dismissal and arrest over Lakhimpur incident in Uttar Pradesh, the farmers' body Samyukta Kisan Morcha has called for a six-hour long nationwide ''Rail roko'' agitation from 10 am to 4 pm.
"This (rail roko) will be take place at different places in different districts. The people there, all over the country know where we have to stop the train. Government of India has not spoken to us yet," said farmer leader Rakesh Tikait.
Northern Railway said at 30 locations, trains have been affected and eight trains have been regulated following the rail roko protests, while the UP police warned of stern action if the agitation turns violent.
Farmers in Punjab were seen squatting on rail tracks while four sections of the Ferozepur division were blocked by the protesters, said a railway official. The Ferozepur-Fazilka section in Ferozepur city and the Ferozepur-Ludhiana section at Ajitwal in Moga were also affected, he said.
