Strongly condemning the tragic incident of Lakhimpur Kheri in Uttar Pradesh, the Punjab Chief Minister Charanjit Singh Channi on Tuesday dared the BJP to respect the democratic ethics and values rather perpetrating the rule of coercion (danda raj) to stifle the voice of people.Staging a silent protest in front of the bust of father of the nation Mahatma Gandhi here at Gandhi Samark Bhawan, the Chief Minister accompanied by his Cabinet colleagues, MLAs and party workers resolved not to succumb to the excesses of the BJP led government in Centre and states to intimidate the people by unleashing a reign of terror.Equating the barbarous incident of Lakhimpur Kheri with the Jallianwala Bagh massacre, the Chief Minister said that this recent incident was pre-planned to intentionally crush the innocent farmers who were peacefully protesting against the farm laws. Channi said that BJP would not succeed in its nefarious designs to indulge in such atrocious activities to demoralise the farmers thus diverting them from their path of peaceful agitation.Later talking to the media persons, the Chief Minister slammed the UP government to arrest the national Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi who had planned to meet the victim families at Lakhimpur Kheri to express the solidarity with them in this hour of grief.
He said that with such acts, the Congress would emerge far more stronger to eventually oust the BJP government not only in Centre but in other states also.The Chief Minister cautioned the Centre not to force our youth to follow revolutionary path in wake of such unfortunate incidents of Lakhimpur Kheri who would ultimately draw inspiration from the legendary martyrs like Bhagat Singh, Rajguru, Sukhdev and Udham Singh to seek justice. Channi appealed to the Centre to immediately repeal these farm laws not to let the peaceful atmosphere vitiate and should maintain peace, harmony and brotherhood at all costs realizing its prime duty.Earlier, the Chief Minister paid floral tributes at the bust of Mahatma Gandhi and firmly resolved to seek inspiration from the father of the nation to protect the democratic rights.On the occasion, the Chief Minister also joined the dharna staged by the youth Congress workers of Chandigarh and raised slogans ‘Bharat Mata ki Jai’, ‘Vande Matram’.Prominent amongst others who joined the protest included Cabinet Ministers Manpreet Singh Badal, Tript Rajinder Singh Bajwa, Rana Gurjit Singh, Pargat Singh, Sangat Singh Gilzian, Gurkirat Singh Kotli besides several MLAs and party leaders and workers.