Bharatiya Kisan Union plans ‘gherao-dera daalo’ protest movement in New Delhi in December to address the concerns of the farmers
Team Clarion
SULTANPUR (Uttar Pradesh) – Rakesh Tikait, the national spokesperson of the Bharatiya Kisan Union (BKU), has strongly criticised the central government for its stance on Indian Muslims and its policies towards farmers. Tikait accused the BJP-led government of intentionally undermining the country’s Muslims while expressing favourable support for Muslims abroad. He argued that this disparity is a deliberate political move aimed at stirring division and polarising communities for electoral gains.
Tikait’s comments came during a visit to Payagipur village in Sultanpur District on Thursday, where he spoke to the media about the government’s agricultural policies. He claimed that the government’s plans to seize land from farmers and redistribute it to large industrialists would harm the agricultural sector and lead to widespread economic suffering among farmers. In response to this, Tikait announced that the BKU’s protest movement, dubbed the “gherao-dera daalo” movement, would begin in New Delhi in December to address farmers’ concerns.
Tikait linked the government’s actions to the larger political strategy of the ruling BJP, alleging that the government was intentionally creating more incidents like the violence in Sambhal, all for political advantage. He warned that such policies would further aggravate communal tensions and exacerbate existing problems within rural and Muslim communities.
In his address, Tikait also pointed out what he sees as a discrepancy in the government’s treatment of Muslims. “The government seems to feel bad about Indian Muslims but good about Muslims abroad,” Tikait said, emphasising that this attitude was detrimental to the social fabric of the country. He referred to instances where Muslims in India were marginalised in contrast to the favourable treatment extended to Muslims in other countries, adding that such divisive rhetoric was damaging India’s unity.
Tikait’s remarks come at a time when there is heightened political sensitivity surrounding the treatment of religious minorities and the government’s economic policies, especially in rural areas. His critique of the BJP’s approach to both Muslims and farmers underscores the growing tensions and dissatisfaction with the central government’s handling of key social and economic issues.
Tikait’s criticism also extends to the broader policies of the BJP, especially regarding its land acquisition plans, which he claims will benefit large corporations at the expense of small farmers. With the “gherao-dera daalo” movement set to begin next month in Delhi, Tikait and the BKU aim to amplify the farmers’ struggle and demand immediate action to address their grievances.
The BKU has pledged to continue its fight for the rights of farmers, while also speaking out against what it perceives as the government’s failure to address the needs of the marginalised communities.
As the political debate around farmers’ rights and religious minority issues intensifies, Rakesh Tikait’s remarks add fuel to the ongoing discourse about the BJP’s governance and its approach to the country’s diverse social fabric.