Farmers Movement Archive

Union minister Sanjeev Balyan meets BKU chief Naresh Tikait in Sisauli

Union minister of state Sanjeev Balyan met Bhartiya Kisan Union (BKU) chief Naresh Tikait at the latter’s residence in Sisauli in Muzaffarnagar district on Monday, less than a month before the seven-phase Uttar Pradesh assembly elections begin on February 10. Sanjeev Balyan is also the BJP MP from Muzaffarnagar.Bhartiya Kisan Union media incharge Dharmendra Malik said it was a courtesy visit by the minister to enquire about Naresh Tikait’s health after he underwent shoulder surgery last week.Sanjeev Balyan said to the news agency ANI after his meeting, “We are like a family. We keep meeting often. As of now, I came here to know about his health. He is recovering well. We had a good meeting.”Dharmendra Malik said it was the minister’s first meeting with Naresh Tikait after withdrawal of the farmers’ protest at Delhi borders.Before this, Rashtriya Lok Dal (RLD) chief Jayant Chaudhary had visited the BKU chief in hospital.Naresh Tikait had sustained a shoulder injury after he slipped in the bathroom last week and was operated upon in a Noida hospital, the BKU media incharge further said.Sanjeev Balyan remained with Naresh Tikait for over half an hour along with a few associates.This courtesy meeting, however, is being seen as a significant move by Balyan who arrived in Sisauli after a long time. At the height of the farmers’ agitation, Naresh Tikait had earlier cautioned BJP leaders against entering Sisauli, the BKU headquarters, and said if they came it would be at their own risk.Sanjeev Balyan interacted with Naresh Tikait a day after the latter blessed three RLD candidates Rajpal Balyan (Budhana), Chandan Chauhan (Meerapur) and Pankaj Malik (Charthawal), who met the BKU chief.Malik further said Naresh Tikait has clarified that his blessings are for all who visit him but being a member of the Samyukt Kisan Morcha (SKM), he can’t get involved with any political party or their candidates.So far, both Samyukt Kisan Morcha, which is the umbrella body of several farmer unions, and BKU has refrained from promoting any political party.Last year, Naresh Tikait, while addressing a mahapanchayat in Muzaffarnagar, had said supporting the BJP was a “mistake” and farmers will correct it.The BJP won all the six seats in Muzaffarnagar in the 2017 assembly elections in which the Hindutva plank worked well after the Muzaffarnagar riots of September 2013.The BJP broke the RLD’s winning combination of Jats and Muslims, resulting in the defeat of the then RLD chief Ajit Singh and his son Jayant Chaudhary on their home turf in the 2014 and 2019 Lok Sabha polls.The farmers’ movement, however, succeeded in reviving the unity of Jats and Muslims, which gave a new lease of life to RLD and BKU chief Naresh Tikait’s blessings to its candidates have further strengthened its hopes.Shiv Sena Rajy Sabha MP Sanjay Raut had met BKU leader Rakesh Tikait, Naresh Tikait’s brother, on January 13.Rakesh Tikait is scheduled to go to Lakhimpur Kheri on January 21. He said to reporters on Saturday that he will meet the farmers there and decide upon the future course of farmers’ agitation.The polling in Uttar Pradesh will be held on February 10, 14, 20, 23, 27 and March 3 and 7 in seven phases. The counting of votes will take place on March 10.

Hindustan Times

17-01-2022

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