UP violence: Punjab CM Charanjit Channi flags Lakhimpur, asks Amit Shah to repeal laws

Tribune News Service

New Delhi/Chandigarh, Oct 5

Chief Minister Charanjit Singh Channi today met Union Home Minister Amit Shah at his residence in the national capital and flagged the issue of the violent incident that took place in Uttar Pradesh’s Lakhimpur Kheri in which eight persons lost their lives.

Curb smuggling

The CM raised the issue of illegal trafficking of drugs and weapons from across the border. “I sought Home Minister’s intervention to ensure sealing of the border so as to break the supply chain.”

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Reopen corridor

The CM urged Shah to take an early decision on re-opening of Kartarpur Corridor. Shah assured the CM they would soon take a decision after detailed deliberations, an official release noted

This was Channi’s first formal meeting with the Union Home Minister after taking over as the CM of Punjab.

Seeking the Home Minister’s personal indulgence in resolving the nearly a year-long farmers’ imbroglio, Channi urged him to repeal the farm laws at the earliest.

Channi, according to an official released by the Chief Minister’s Office, expressed his deep anguish over the tragic Lakhimpur Kheri incident and told the Home Minister that “such barbaric acts would not be tolerated”.

While talking to mediapersons after the meeting, the Chief Minister said he also “condemned” the manner in which their leaders were arrested. “They were on their way to meet the victim families of this unfortunate incident and this system must stop,” he said, adding he hoped for a positive outcome of the discussions held in congenial atmosphere.

Before leaving for Delhi, Channi condemned the incident and asked the BJP to respect the democratic values rather perpetrating the rule of coercion to stifle the voice of people. Staging a silent protest in front of a bust of Mahatma Gandhi at Gandhi Samark Bhawan, Chandigarh, the CM accompanied by his Cabinet colleagues, MLAs and party workers resolved not to succumb to the alleged excesses of the BJP-led government at the Centre and states.

Equating the Lakhimpur Kheri incident with the Jallianwala Bagh massacre, he said the recent incident was pre-planned against protesting farmers. He slammed the UP Government for arresting Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi who had planned to visit Lakhimpur Kheri. Channi appealed to the Centre to immediately repeal the farm. He also joined the dharna staged by the Chandigarh Youth Congress.