Farmers Movement Archive

‘Govt shouldn’t link it to farmers’ protest’: Rakesh Tikait on Singhu border lynching

Bharatiya Kisan Union (BKU) leader Rakesh Tikait on Sunday said that the government should not link the lynching of Lakhbir Singh at the Singhu border to the ongoing farmers’ protest against the three farm laws. Further, Tikait also claimed that the gruesome killing was a “conspiracy” and warned that the government could deteriorate the situation.He said that the Nihangs have told the farmers that the killing was a religious matter. “They (Nihangs) have said it is a religious matter and the government should not link it to farmers' protest. We are talking to them that they are not needed here as of now. Government can deteriorate the situation. The conspiracy was executed by governments,” news agency ANI quoted Tikait as saying.Also read | All three accused in Singhu border killing sent to six-day police custodyThe remarks from the BKU leader came as the three accused in the case -- Narayan Singh, Bhagwant Singh and Govind Preet Singh -- were produced before a Sonipat court earlier in the day and were then sent on a six-day police custody. Meanwhile, another accused named Sarvajeet Singh was arrested by Sonipat police earlier on Friday and was sent to a seven-day police custody.The Nihangs alleged that the victim Lakhbir Singh has desecrated a Sikh holy book for which he was reportedly killed. The killing has stirred up the tensions around the farmers protests as the deceased Lakhbir Singh was a Dalit farm labourer and is survived by his wife and three children. The Nihangs are an order within the Sikhs marked by their blue robes and swords.Meanwhile, the protesting farmer unions have distanced themselves from the incident. The Samyukta Kisan Morcha (SKM), an umbrella body of farmers unions spearheading the protests, said that the Nihangs and the deceased were both not related to the union. The BKU too said that more security cameras would be installed at the protest sites. In addition, the volunteers at work on these sites would now be appointed by the SKM, which was earlier done by the local farm unions.

Hindustan Times

17-10-2021

India