Farmers Movement Archive

Kumaraswamy demands withdrawal of cases against Rakesh Tikait, says calls for protests in Karnataka not provocative

Former Karnataka chief minister and leader of the Janata Dal (Secular) party HD Kumaraswamy has called for the withdrawal of cases against Bharatiya Kisan Union leader Rakesh Tikait for provocative speeches. He said that there was no provocation in Tikait’s speech and also called the action “an attempt to silence the voice of farmers.”“The police have booked a case against Bharatiya Kisan Union leader Rakesh Tikait in Shivamogga (Shimoga) and Haveri on the charges of delivering provocative speech. This is nothing but an attempt to silence the voice of farmers,” the former CM tweeted.Also read | Karnataka police book Tikait for ‘lay siege to Bengaluru’ callTwo cases, in Shimoga and Haveri in Karnataka, have been registered against Tikait after his speech earlier on March 20 in Shimoga, where he called the farmers of Karnataka to protest against the farm laws. “You need to make a 'Delhi' in Bengaluru. You need to gherao Bengaluru (like Delhi) from all sides and people will come and join your protest,” news agency ANI quoted Tikait as saying.Kumaraswamy defended these remarks saying that there was nothing provocative in the speech. “There is no provocative element in Tikait’s statement- Farmers need not come to Delhi for the struggle against new farm laws. You can launch a struggle here itself like the one in Delhi”. In fact, it is 'faulty grasping' if someone feels that his statement is provocative,” he tweeted. “If they really wanted to book cases against those indulging in provocative speeches, how many cases should have been booked against BJP leaders by now?” Kumaraswamy further asked.Watch | ‘Farmers will sell their produce in the Parliament…’: Rakesh TikaitHe also called for the withdrawal of the two cases by Karnataka police against Tikait. “It is well within the rights granted by the Constitution to take up struggles and to give a call for struggle. He did not call for assaulting or killing. The case against Tikait should be withdrawn at the earliest,” he said.

Hindustan Times

25-03-2021

India