The months-long protest against the central government’s three farm laws spearheaded by Bhartiya Kisan Union (BKU) chief Rakesh Tikait seems to be dying its natural death. His latest two-day visit to Gujarat on April 4 and 5 received an extremely tepid response with only a handful of people attending his two days scheduled program, reports DeshGujarat.
The new report says that on the first day of his scheduled visit to Ambaji and Palanpur, only 100 odd people were present during the event and that too mostly onlookers.
Tikait fails to evoke response on first day of his Gujarat tourhttps://t.co/kGVt2RCHfp pic.twitter.com/gUJvceHvs7
— DeshGujarat (@DeshGujarat) April 4, 2021
Attempts to gain public attention failed
Apart from this, Tikait was also left embarrassed when his other farce also did not work in his favour. Ahead of his entry in Gujarat, the BKU leader had made a major hue and cry, claiming that the BJP government in Gujarat would not allow him to enter the state. Before embarking on his journey, Tikait had reportedly shown his passport to the media persons and claimed that despite being an Indian citizen, the BJP government would impede his entry into the state.
However, this drama also backfired. DeshGujarat reported that the BJP government in the state was so disinterested and nonchalant about his scheduled visit that he was allowed smooth entry through the interstate check post of Abu Road, Ambaji. In fact, the state government also arranged police piloting for his convoy.
During the visit, the Bhartiya Kisan Union (BKU) leader threatened to start a farmers’ tractor agitation in Gujarat and said the time has come to gherao the state capital Gandhinagar and also break barricades if needed. Tikait claimed farmers in Gujarat were unhappy and suffering.
Tikait’s visit to Gujarat was announced in a press conference on March 26 this year in Ahmedabad called by various farmers’ rights organisation of the state.
Rakesh Tikait has been the face of the ongoing farmer’s agitation. He has been trying his best to milk the protest to kick start his political career. For the uninitiated, the FIR filed by Delhi police to probe a larger conspiracy and criminal design behind the violent tractor rally on January 26 in Delhi, mentioned Bharatiya Kisan Union(BKU) leader Rakesh Tikait for spearheading and inciting the mob that wreaked havoc in Delhi.
A video of Tikait asking protesters to carry sticks, flags during the tractor rally had gone viral on the internet. But as the tractor rally carried out by protesters devolved into chaos and disarray, with protesters resorting to violence and vandalism, Tikait refused to shoulder the responsibility of the violence and pushed the blame on the Centre and the Delhi Police for the Republic Day disruption.
In an interview on the Hindi news channel Aaj Tak in February 2021, the BKU leader had inadvertently admitted to his global links. Tikait confirmed that the organisation he is associated with has its branches in 73 countries and he has an alliance with the Indian branch.