Farmers Movement Archive

Rakesh Tikait’s convoy attacked

Bharatiya Kisan Union (BKU) leader Rakesh Tikait’s convoy was allegedly attacked in Rajasthan’s Alwar district on Friday, when he was going to address a farmers’ rally in Bansur town. A group of people pelted stones at the cavalcade, damaging the rear windscreen of his car. Mr. Tikait was safe and did not get any injury. The farmer leader, who has been leading the agitation against the Centre’s agriculture sector laws for over four months, held the “goons of Bharatiya Janata Party” responsible for the attack. “The goons of BJP indulged in a lethal attack [on our convoy] at Tatarpur intersection on Bansur road. This is the murder of democracy,” Mr. Tikait remarked while posting a video clip of his car with the smashed window glass on twitter. Mr. Tikait addressed two rallies in Alwar district on Friday. He was travelling from Harsauli to Bansur when the attack, allegedly with stones and iron rods, took place. Police have detained four persons, including a student leader, in connection with the incident. The BKU leader’s supporters and a large number of farmers from the region blocked the Bansur road after the attack. A huge police force was deployed in the area late in the evening. BKU flays attack Meanwhile, the BKU and the Samyukt Kisan Morcha have criticised the alleged attack on Mr. Tikait. BKU media in-charge Dharmendra Malik said the assailants came in an SUV and were close to the local BJP MLA. He said the BKU members blocked the road in protest and an FIR was registered against unidentified assailants. “The SUV that the attackers left is said to have belonged to Kuldeep Yadav, student union president of Matsya University. Kuldeep could be seen in photos with Rajasthan BJP chief Satish Punia and is said to be close to him,” Mr. Malik said. In response to the attack, the BKU workers blocked the Delhi-Meerut Expressway at Ghazipur border for two hours.

The Hindu

2021-04-03

JAIPUR/Ghaziabad