Punjab Chief Minister Charanjit Singh Channi on Tuesday said the incident at Lakhimpur Kheri in Uttar Pradesh was pre-planned to intentionally crush the innocent farmers who were peacefully protesting against the farm laws.

Staging a silent protest in front of the bust of father of the nation Mahatma Gandhi here at Gandhi Samark Bhawan, the CM said the Bharatiya Janata Party (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.

Condemning the incident of Lakhimpur Kheri, Channi dared the BJP to respect the democratic ethics and values rather than perpetrating the rule of coercion (danda raj) to stifle the voice of people.

The CM 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.

Later speaking to reporters, the CM slammed the UP government over the arrest of Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi who had planned to meet the victim families at Lakhimpur Kheri to express 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 CM 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. He said the Centre should not let the peaceful atmosphere vitiate and maintain peace, harmony and brotherhood at all costs realising its prime duty.

Earlier, the CM 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’. Cabinet ministers Manpreet Singh Badal, Tript Rajinder Singh Bajwa, Rana Gurjit Singh, Pargat Singh, Sangat Singh Gilzian and Gurkirat Singh Kotli along with MLAs and party workers joined the protest.