Akhilesh Yadav Promises a Sum of Rs. 25 Lakh to the Families of Farmers Who Died in Protests

Akhilesh Yadav, the leader of the Samajwadi Party (SP), stated on Wednesday that the kin of farmers who died in the agitation against the three new farm laws in the previous year will receive a financial help of Rs 25 lakh. 

If the SP wins power, a payment of Rs. 25 lakh will be distributed immediately after the government is formed, according to a spokeswoman for the party. 

"SP chief Akhilesh Yadav has promised to provide a sum of Rs. 25 lakh as Kisan Shahadat Samman Rashi to the family of every farmer who died in the struggle against the three farm laws," said SP spokesperson Rajendra Chaudhary in a statement on Wednesday. 

Former Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav, according to Chaudhary, has always been sensitive to farmer issues. He said that the SP government of Akhilesh Yadav (2012-17) has initiated a lot of farmer welfare programmes. 

He further claimed that the actions of the previous SP government resulted in remunerative prices, cheaper power for farmers, free irrigation, and the availability of fertilisers for farmers. 

He claimed that the SP was always with the farmers under Akhilesh Yadav's leadership. The party was opposed to all three agricultural legislation and was aware that the BJP administration had framed farmers in several cases, according to Chaudhary. According to him, a considerable number of farmers were also imprisoned during this time. 

Sidharth Nath Singh, the Uttar Pradesh government's spokesperson and a senior cabinet minister, slammed the SP chief's action, calling it "fake" concern for farmers. The farmers, according to Singh, recognised this as just another trick by the Samajwadi Party ahead of the key assembly elections in Uttar Pradesh in 2022. 

Prime Minister Narendra Modi stated on Friday that the three contentious farm laws would be repealed in the upcoming Parliamentary session. 

The action comes just a few months before the yet-to-be-announced Assembly elections in Uttar Pradesh and Punjab, which have been the epicenter of anti-farm legislation rallies.