New Delhi: Senior Karnataka Congress leader Siddaramaiah said on Tuesday that the killing of four farmers in Lakhimpur Kheri in Uttar Pradesh reminded him of the Jallianwala Bagh massacre and demanded an apology from Prime Minister Narendra Modi over the incident.
Siddaramaiah, who met his party president Sonia Gandhi here and discussed the upcoming bypolls in two assembly constituencies in the state and other party matters, alleged that the current BJP government is taking "farmers lightly".
Eight people were killed Sunday as violence erupted during a farmers'' protest claiming the lives of both farmers and BJP workers in Lakhimpur Kheri district. Four of the dead were farmers, allegedly knocked down by vehicles driven by BJP workers. The others were BJP workers and a driver who were allegedly pulled out of the vehicles and lynched by the protesters.
Siddaramaiah said Union Minister of State for Home Ajay Mishra should be dismissed and his son who was allegedly behind the incident should be arrested.
"This reminds me of the Jallianwala Bagh massacre...killing of four innocent farmers," he told reporters after meeting Sonia Gandhi.
Alleging that the current BJP government is taking "farmers lightly", he sought an apology from Prime Minister Narendra Modi for the violence.
"Farmers'' protest against three agri laws has been going on for 10 months but the PM has not tried to resolve the issue till now. The Modi government is an anti-farmer government.... The Modi government is more like a Hitler government," he charged.
Asked if the Congress party is considering a larger role for him in the national politics, the former chief minister said it is "incorrect". "Except for Karnataka politics, no national politics was discussed," he said and asserted that his interest lies in state politics.
Siddaramaiah said he had earlier denied the post of party general secretary offered to him by former party chief Rahul Gandhi. He also said that he was made a member of the Congress Working Committee but had resigned from that post also.
"So, there is no interest in national politics. I am confined to Karnataka politics," he added.
"I was called for a meeting. I met Sonia Gandhi. By-elections and the Congress party issues were discussed," the Leader of Opposition in the state assembly told reporters after the meeting.
Bypolls to Sindgi and Hangal assembly constituencies are scheduled for October 30.
The Congress leader also said there was no discussion with the party president on any reshuffle in the party''s state unit.
"It was not discussed with madam (Sonia Gandhi). I have given a list to (Congress general secretary Randeep Singh) Surjewala. He has said he will discuss this issue (reshuffle in state party unit) with me," Siddaramaiah added.