Farmers Movement Archive

Asaduddin Owaisi is BJP’s ‘chacha jaan’, helping with religious divide: BKU

MEERUT: As Jat farmers come together with their Muslim counterparts to fight against the three farm laws, the Bharatiya Kisan Union (BKU) said AIMIM is dividing people on the basis of religion, which is “helping BJP”. AIMIM chief Asaduddin Owaisi, it said, is BJP’s “chacha jaan (uncle)”. At a private event in Baghpat, BKU national spokesperson Rakesh Tikait was scathing in his criticism of Owaisi. When he was asked about the new university named after Jat icon Raja Mahendra Pratap Singh, Tikait said he was “a king of farmers”. He added, “It is not a problem (for BJP) anymore. Chacha jaan Owaisi is here in Uttar Pradesh now. Even if chacha jaan abuses BJP, the party will not register a case against him. He has BJP’s blessings. He will divide people on the basis of religion and that is what BJP wants.” Tikait’s jibe came two days after UP CM Yogi Adityanath said “those who say "abba jaan" would digest all the ration (meant for the poor) before 2017 (when BJP came to power in the state).” Earlier this month, influential Muslim farmer leader Ghulam Mohammad Jola had shared staged with Tikait and his brother, BKU president Naresh, at the Muzaffarnagar mahapanchayat of farmers, where Tikait had raised slogans of “Allahu Akbar” and “Har Har Mahadev”. It was a symbolic move, of setting aside the bloody history of the Muzaffarnagar riots for a common cause. “Farmers understand their moves (that of Owaisi and BJP) very well," Tikait said. "Let them hatch conspiracies.” Circling back to the Mahendra Pratap Singh question, he added, “They place five bricks and say we are setting up a university in his name. Raja Mahendra Pratap Singh gave land to Aligarh (Muslim University). He gave land in Haridwar. He donated a lot of land and sold off his property for the freedom struggle. What can BJP say its line of leaders did? No one even went to jail.” About the farm laws, Tikait said farmers will not back down. “Our fight is with this government. Farmers won’t budge until the three laws are repealed,” he said. “The Centre says it wants talks but also says it won’t take back the farm laws. How are both possible?"

The Times of India

2021-09-16

Meerut