Farmers Movement Archive

‘Plan to attack farmers’: BKU’s Rakesh Tikait refuses to surrender

Ghazipur, January 28Bhartiya Kisan Union (BKU) national spokesperson Rakesh Tikait on Thursday refused to surrender after the Uttar Pradesh government ordered the Ghaziabad administrations to get all farmers’ protest site on the state’s borders with Delhi vacated.Will commit suicide but won't end protest until farm Bills are repealed, Rakesh Tikait said.The national spokesperson said there was an alleged plan to attack farmers after the arrest.The Uttar Pradesh government on Thursday ordered the district administrations to get all farmers’ protest site on the state’s borders with Delhi vacated, officials said.The orders came two days after violence during the ‘Kisan Gantantra parade’ on the occasion of the Republic Day at several locations in the national capital.A senior police official wishing not to be named said: “Yes, we have received orders from the government to get all the farmers protest site on the borders of the state vacated.”The Ghaziabad administration, including ACM Vinay Singh, came to the main stage along with the police to take Tikait after he said he and a few other leaders would surrender.Also read: BKU (Lok Shakti) calls off farmer protestPolice register case of sedition in connection with Red Fort incidentsCentre wanted farmers to get provoked, says Shiv SenaSKM condemns UP police’s action in cutting off basic facilities at Ghazipur borderWe continue to stand with farmers: All India Kisan Sangharsh Coordination CommitteeOpposition unites behind farmers; says Delhi siege ‘govt conspiracy’ to malign themDeep Sidhu, Lakha Sidhana booked for Red Fort violenceSP demands FIR against Delhi Police, top BJP leaders for Republic Day violenceFarmers’ protest comes to an end in UP’s Baghpat; protesters allege use of force by policeBut Tikait, after speaking to the authorities, alleged that there was a dirty plan to attack farmers.“We were ready to surrender but I have come to know that a BJP MLA and his supporters is waiting to attack these farmers after we leave from here,” Tikait addressed the rally.“Now, I am not going anywhere. The administration will be responsible if something bad happens here. ‘Chalne do goli ab’. And one more thing, if we catch any BJP worker or MLA we, will keep them hostage here,” he added.“Look at the hooliganism now. We will thwart them. Let them shoot us. Keep sitting here and let the hangars run as usual,” he said.The political controversy was a running script from the stage as before Tikait, another BKU activist Dharmendra Malik first raised the issue of a BJP MLA and his people trying to create violence in Ghazipur.“All I want to say that both administration and the BJP people want to create violence here,” Malik said.“The BJP MLA is sitting down with his people and we know that some persons have come from Khoda as well. We will sort them out but the administration will be responsible if violence happens here,” he added.The farmers at the Delhi-Uttar Pradesh Ghazipur border had been sitting on protest against the three farm laws since November 26 last year, demanding the repeal of the three farm laws and ensuring the minimum support price (MSP) for their produce.Earlier in the day, there was heavy deployment of security personnel, comprising the Uttar Pradesh and Delhi Police, the Central Reserve Police Force and the Rapid Action Force at the Ghazipur protest site.Farmers have blocked the Delhi-Meerut highway from one side since November 26 last year.Rakesh Tikait, who has been named in the FIR by the Delhi Police in connection with the Republic Day violence also made a presence at the Ghazipur border, after going underground for last two days.A team of senior officials of the Ghaziabad police and administration also arrived at the Ghazipur border to apprehend him.BKU leader Rakesh Tikait dares police, says arrest farmers but stop trying to scare themRakesh Tikait today dared the police and local administration to come out clean with their intentions after water and electricity were cut at Ghazipur border.Addressing the farmers from the main stage, Tikait, who has also been named in the Delhi Police FIR for his role in the violence on Republic Day, said if the police had been told to arrest the leaders, they should do that rather than resorting to scare tactics. “There must be people from the intelligence and police here. I want to tell them that if your bosses have told you to take action against us, then please do arrest us,” Tikait said.“Trying to scare us by cutting off water and electricity will not scare us away. Please come to us and explain what is the plan of action from the administration. If they want us to vacate, they must tell us that, or if they want us to be arrested, please take us,” the BKU leader said.Tikait further said the administration played a part in trying to break the unity of unions by giving the fringe groups easy entry to the Red Fort.“How can anyone explain the number of people at a heavily-fortified place like the Red Fort. Then to break farmers and the Sikhs, a religious flag was unfurled there. The police have played a role in this controversy,” he said. — With IANS

The Tribune

2021-01-29