The Hindu : Front Page : Mayawati slams Opposition parties for backing Tikait

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Mayawati slams Opposition parties for backing Tikait

Special Correspondent

Justifies decision to delay taking action against BKU leader

— Photo: PTI

Bharatiya Kisan Union (BKU) leader Mahendra Singh Tikait coming out from the Chief Judicial Magistrate court at Bijnor on Wednesday.

LUCKNOW: Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Mayawati on Wednesday justified her decision to delay taking action against Bharatiya Kisan Union leader Mahendra Singh Tikait, saying Ms. Mayawati said the police and administrative officials had been asked to exercise patience.

Mr. Tikait was charged with making a derogatory reference to Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Mayawati at a farmers’ rally in Bijnor on Sunday.

Addressing a press conference after Mr. Tikait surrendered in the Bijnor court and was later released on bail, Ms Mayawati slammed the Opposition parties extending their support to the BKU leader and took exception to the remark of Union Minister of State for Home Sri Prakash Jaiswal that the BKU leader should not be arrested. She said the Minister should resign on moral grounds. She also demanded the resignation of chairman of the National Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes Commission Buta Singh for his silence on the issue.

Ms. Mayawati said that in all likelihood Mr. Singh had been asked to keep mum by the Congress. Stating that the party’s view on the SC/ST Act displayed its anti-Dalit mentality, she said the manner in which the Congress, the BJP and their supporting parties supported Mr. Tikait showed that they wanted to prevent the implementation of the SC/ST Act.

She declared that the SC/ST Act would be strictly implemented in Uttar Pradesh, but at the same time it would be ensured that the Act was not misused.

Compromise formula

Mr. Tikait’s surrender and/or arrest followed Tuesday night’s parleys between the BKU leaders and IG, Railways, Gurdarshan Singh, who was sent by the State government to assist the Muzaffarnar district administration. Rajya Sabha Member of Parliament Harendra Mallik, who belongs to Muzaffarnagar and acted as the mediator, told The Hindu from Bijnor that a compromise formula had been worked out.

Accordingly, it was decided that the BKU leader would surrender and would be released on bail, Mr. Mallik said. He denied that Mr. Tikait was arrested.

Later, addressing a hastily convened press conference, Director-General of Police Vikram Singh said he had been instructed by the Chief Minister that since the BKU leader had apologised no further action should be taken against him. He said Mr. Tikait had been released on bail and would leave for his village soon.

Investigations

Regarding a fresh case under Section 307 of the IPC being filed against the BKU leader, Mr. Singh said there was no question of his arrest as investigations would be conducted first.

Corrections and Clarifications

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