The Bharatiya Kisan Union (BKU), which spearheaded the year-long farmers’ protest in opposition to the now-repealed farm legal guidelines, on Sunday witnessed a break up as a bit of its leaders floated a separate outfit — BKU (Apolitical) — led by Rajesh Singh Chauhan. Fissures inside the farmers’ union got here out within the open on the demise anniversary of its founder president Mahendra Singh Tikait.
Chauhan stated he took the choice after being “insulted” and alleged that the outfit sided with political events within the elections, an obvious reference to this yr’s UP Assembly polls. His outfit shall be referred to as the Bhartiya Kisan Union (Arajnaitik), Chauhan stated “Arajnaitik” means apolitical in Hindi.
The leaders of BKU (Apolitical) alleged that they had been upset with the “political” statements made by Tikait throughout the farm legal guidelines protests and the latest Assembly polls in UP.
Meanwhile, the BKU expelled Chauhan and 6 different office-bearers for anti-outfit actions.
Reacting to the formation of the brand new outfit, BKU chief Rakesh Tikait in Bulandshahr alleged,”Those who’ve left the organisation have finished so on the behest of the federal government. This won’t impression us and the BKU will develop stronger.” Tikait additionally attacked the central authorities for “trying to divide farmers”.
Earlier within the day, a senior office-bearer of the brand new outfit, Harinaam Verma, instructed PTI that Chauhan introduced the formation of the outfit in Lucknow on the demise anniversary of farmer chief Mahendra Singh Tikait.
“Chauhan will be heading the BKU (A),” he stated.
Speaking at an occasion right here, Chauhan alleged that he every so often tried to place ahead his opinion however was ignored.
Senior BKU leaders Naresh Tikait and Rakesh Tikait “neither listen to workers nor pay any attention to problems of farmers”, he alleged.
“They have got into bad company and insulted us in one or the other way. I wholeheartedly supported Naresh Tikait and Rakesh Tikait but when the elections came, they deviated from the ideal of Mahendra Singh Tikait,” Chauhan alleged.
“They ventured into political mess and had made this organisation a puppet in the hands of political parties. I was extremely saddened and pained by this,” Chauhan stated.
“Rakesh Tikait was influenced by political parties. He campaigned for one party while opposed the other party,” Chauhan stated however didn’t title any political celebration. About the BKU (A), Chauhan stated he solely abided by the choice of staff and farmers. Chauhan additionally cleared that he shaped the brand new organisation and has not proven doorways to Naresh Tikait and Rakesh Tikait as proven in sure sections of the media. “They (Tikait brothers) belong to the BKU while my organisation is BKU(A). This is a new organisation and we do not want any controversy,” Chauhan stated.
Meanwhile, the BKU expelled Chauhan and 6 others, in line with a press launch. The six others expelled are Anil Talan, Mangeram Tyagi, Digamber Singh, Dharmendra Malik, Rajbir Singh and Harinaam Verma.
Mahendra Singh Tikait was an influential farmer chief in western Uttar Pradesh.
He was born on October 6, 1935 at Sisauli village in Muzaffarnagar district and was the founder president of the Bhartiya Kisan Union.
He died in Muzaffarnagar on May 15, 2011 on the age of 75. The BKU was based in 1987 and its present president is Naresh Tikait.
Source: www.financialexpress.com”