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Tuesday, Apr 01, 2008
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Tension as police gather to arrest Tikait

He allegedly made casteist remarks against U.P. Chief Minister Mayawati at a rally

— Photo: PTI

STANDOFF: Rapid Action Force personnel on alert after a clash between police and activists of the Bhartiya Kisan Union when the police tried to arrest BKU leader Mahendra Singh Tikait (seen third from left in the picture at right) at Sisoli in Muzaffarnagar on Sunday.

Lucknow/Muzaffarnagar: The Uttar Pradesh government on Monday vowed to arrest farmer leader Mahendra Singh Tikait for allegedly hurling casteist remarks at Chief Minister Mayawati even as tension prevailed in a village where his supporters clashed with the police trying to nab him on Sunday.

The Bhartiya Kisan Union (BKU) president would be arrested at any cost and “there is no point of compromise on this situation,” Principal Secretary (Home) J. N. Chamber told reporters, in reply to a question, in Lucknow.

Mr. Tikait’s remarks were not only “derogatory” but also against womanhood, Mr. Chamber said.

Asked about the delay in arrest, he said the administration was dealing with the matter patiently to avoid problems to innocent people and senior officials, including the District Magistrate, the Inspector-General and the DIG, who were camping at Siloli village in Muzaffarnagar district, to arrest Mr. Tikait.

The first information report was already registered against the BKU leader under the SC/ST Atrocities (Prevention) Act. If convicted, Mr. Tikait could be in jail for up to two years.

On Sunday, villagers resorted to brick-batting, injuring over a dozen policemen.

ADG Law and Order Brijlal said Mr. Tikait was still in Panchayat Ghar village and 1,000-1,500 villagers threw a ring around him to prevent arrest. A force, including 400 personnel of the Rapid Action Force and the Provincial Armed Constabulary, has been deployed there.

Rashtriya Lok Dal President Ajit Singh was prevented from visiting the tense village. Mr. Singh, general secretary Anuradha Chaudhary and other activists were stopped by the police at Muradnagar. “We will court arrest if we are not allowed to proceed,” Ms. Chaudhary said. Talking to reporters in Lucknow, Samajwadi Party working president Shivpal Singh Yadav defended Mr. Tikait, saying “he had merely used common language used in villages and there was nothing derogatory about it.”

“If what Tikait said was derogatory, Chief Minister Mayawati, who is in the habit of using worse language, should also be sent to jail,” Mr. Yadav said. Terming the government action against Mr. Tikait a “dangerous trend against democracy,” he said the SP district units were asked to stand by the BKU leader and be prepared for an agitation on the issue.

Mr. Tikait is alleged to have made the remarks at the Kisan Swabhiman rally in Bijnore district. Mr. Ajit Singh was seen trying dissuade him from using the remarks against Ms. Mayawati. — PTI

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