Demanding a probe into the incident by an all-party team, and action against the district magistrate who ordered the lathicharge and firing on the farmers, the Opposition disrupted the Question Hour and later staged a walkout. They also demanded the government withdraw all cases against the farmers, and ensuring their immediate release from jail.

On February 20, a group of farmers and 12 policemen were injured in a clash. The farmers had been protesting against the alleged “stepmotherly” treatment meted out by the state and the Central government to farmers in Doaba, which was facing a drought-like situation like Bundelkhand. Later, several farmers were arrested.

The Samajwadi Party raised the issue in the Assembly. Later, the Congress and the BJP joined in.

Congress Legislative Party leader Promod Tiwari said 65 villages in Fatehpur district were facing Bundelkhand-like drought situation. “Therefore, the relief package given to Bundelkhand should also be considered for these villages,” he said.

Tiwari also called for a joint committee to look into the issue.

Parliamentary Affairs Minister Lalji Verma — while reading out the district administration’s report regarding the issue — alleged that the farmers were using loudspeakers and raising slogans inside the court premises, thereby disrupting the court’s functioning.

“The government asked the administration to deal with the situation strictly only after getting a written complaint from the Bar Council of India,” he said.

Rubbishing the report, BJP legislative party leader Om Prakash Singh said: “The parliamentary affairs minister is reading a report prepared by those very government officers, against whom the complaint has been lodged. We do not believe the report.”

“Why not get another inquiry conducted by an independent agency?” he asked.

Verma, who agreed to a probe by the divisional commissioner, blamed SP for the incident.

Without naming SP, he said, “A particular party that has been pushed out of power instigated the agitation and helped it take a violent turn.”