Farmers protest ‘illegal’cattle seizure by civic officials | Lucknow News
Lucknow: Farmers under the banner of Kisan Union staged a protest at the Lucknow Municipal Corporation (LMC) headquarters on Monday, alleging illegal seizure of their cattle by civic officials.The agitators vowed to continue their stir until their demands are met. Two days earlier, the protesters cooked food inside the LMC premises as a mark of defiance. This time, prevented from entering the building, nearly 200 farmers set up makeshift polythene shelters outside and lit stoves again before marching towards the Vidhan Sabha. Farmers accused the municipal authorities of targeting small farmers while ignoring large-scale cattle owners. “Buffaloes are being kept illegally in dozens, yet no action is taken against them. Officials only confiscate animals from poor farmers,” one protester said. Tensions escalated as women joined the frontlines of the march, shouting slogans of “Hang the cow killers.” Protesters claimed that during recent seizures, cows were beaten by LMC staff, leading to the death of at least one animal. Earlier, two days back, farmers staged a sit-in inside the LMC headquarters, cooking meals in protest of what they called harassment by authorities. On Monday, farmers came back over running repeated drives to remove stray cattle from city roads, citing traffic hazards and public safety. Farmers, however, allege that these drives often extend to seizing milch animals from their homes and sheds. The issue has sparked several confrontations, with farmer groups accusing officials of corruption and selective action.
