Bhartiya Kisan Union (BKU) from Meerapur and former advisor to late farmer leader Mahendra Singh Tikait, Chaudhary Virendra Singh lashed out at Rakesh Tikait for misleading farmers against the government for vested interests.
Having been associated with the BKU since 1987, Singh is considered as one of the most prominent and influential farmer leaders of west UP. He was the district chief of Muzaffarnagar unit of the BKU from 1992 to 2002.
Singh called out Rakesh Tikait for misguiding farmers protesting on the UP-Delhi border and provoking them to engage in violence, hatred and Bharat Bandh for his own gains. The farmer leader further questioned Rakesh Tikait’s intentions behind the protest and exposed the funding of the protest through a lobby of drug addicts in Punjab.
Tracing his journey, Singh mentioned that he was always a part of every farmers’ stir across the country with Mahendra Singh Tikait but lamented the incident of protesters storming Red Fort, Delhi and hoisting different flags on January 26 which he termed as ‘shameful and disgrace to the nation’.
“Had the protest been carried out under the leadership of Baba Tikait, no farmer would have dared to disrespect the nation and hurt the sentiments of Indians by invading Red Fort on Republic Day,” he stated.
Asserting that the government supported the farmers, Singh said that Farm laws were for the welfare of the agriculture sector. He also stressed that these laws would revolutionise farming and help the government in achieving its aim of doubling farmers’ income by banishing the monopoly of mandis.
Chaudhary Virendra Singh said that during the protest movements under Mahendra Singh Tikait, food was usually provided through dhabas and farmers’ homes, whereas, the current protest was backed by ‘big shots’ who provided food from starred hotels.
Throwing light on the reality of the current stir, Singh said that the protest was completely based on the agenda of anti-nationals with malicious intent against the country as well as the government.
“Protesters disguised as farmers are actually backed by foreign powers with hidden motives and these elements were betraying the entire country,” he charged.
Singh further added that it would have been appropriate for Rakesh Tikait to surrender to the Delhi Police and call off the stir after Republic Day violence. “It is a matter of shame to witness Tikait Junior blatantly misleading the farmers for his selfish motives,” he alleged.