Potatoes dumped in Lucknow: Four policemen including Sub Inspector suspended

LUCKNOW: Four policemen including a Sub Inspector were on Saturday suspended in connection with the potatoes dumped outside Uttar Pradesh Assembly building.

Earlier in the day, quintals of potatoes were thrown by the farmers in front of the Vidhan Sabha building and outside Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath's residence.

The farmers threw the potatoes in order to protest against low prices.

Following the incident, CM Adityanath had announced help to potato growers and had issued directions to start procurement promptly. "If needed, the state government will increase the minimum support price (MSP) of potato to help the farmers," DNA quoted Adityanath as saying.

Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) Lucknow Deepak Kumar had said the vehicles of the farmers, who were involved in throwing potatoes have been identified and that they would be acted upon.

Farmers, however, said they have not done anything wrong as this was a symbolic protest against the government and its policies. They also blamed the government saying that it is doing nothing to arrest the decay.

Harnam Singh Verma, a leader of the Bharatiya Kisan Union (BKU) said that the farmers were not getting adequate price for their harvest, they do not know where to keep it and accused the state government of not fulfilling its promises.

He said the potato thrown on the roads were of poor quality.

(With IANS inputs)