Farmers Suspend Yogendra Yadav For Meeting Family Of BJP Man Killed In UP

Yogendra Yadav, who is a member of the umbrella body, will not be able to participate in any of its meetings or be part of the decision-making process.

The Samyukt Kisan Morcha - a conglomerate of 46 farmers' unions - has suspended activist Yogendra Yadav for a month after he visited the family of a BJP worker who was killed in the violence at Lakhimpur Kheri earlier this month. Mr Yadav, who is a member of the umbrella body, will not be able to participate in any of its meetings or be part of the decision-making process.

Sources said action was taken at a meeting today after demands of action by farmers' organisations in Punjab. Manjit Singh Rai, the President of Bhartiya Kisan Union, Doaba, told NDTV that 32 farmers' unions are on the same page on the issue and they also want a public apology from Mr Yadav.

Sources close to Mr Yadav said he had gone to visit the BJP worker's family last week as "he felt he should".

"He said (at the meeting) that he was not sorry that he went to visit the family, but is ready to apologise for not discussing the issue with the farmers' body beforehand," the sources said.