Rakesh Tikait’s Tears Draw Many to Muzaffarnagar ‘Mahapanchayat’

Visuals of Bharatiya Kisan Union (BKU) leader Rakesh Tikait breaking down in front of media-persons on Thursday night triggered thousands of farmers from several districts of Uttar Pradesh to attend the ‘Mahapanchayat’ in Muzaffarnagar on Friday, 29 January, to decide on joining the protests around Delhi against the three farm laws.

While the farmers have decided to support the protests being led by Tikait, they have not decided to not march to Delhi yet.

Several took to Twitter to share aerial videos of the gathering that showed thousands of farmers at the event.

RLD leader Jayant Choudhary and AAP MP Sanjay Singh were also present at the Mahapanchayat.

While Tikait’s emotional outburst on Thursday has gradually increased the influx of farmers at the Ghazipur protest site, it has also triggered an outpour at the Mahapanchayat, pictures of which are being widely shared.

Strict Security Arrangements Made, Several Routes Diverted

While the administration allowed the holding of the Mahapanchayat, strict security arrangements were made to avert any untoward incident. According to IANS, senior officials including two Intelligence Bureau officers interacted with Rakesh Tikait’s brother Naresh ahead of the Panchayat.

SSP Abhishek Yadav earlier told IANS that the road from Mahavir Chowk to Circular Road via Sujru Chungi was completely closed during the Mahapanchayat.

All vehicles coming from Meerut entered the city through the Bhopa bypass via the highway. All vehicles coming from Shamli and Badhout entered the city via the Peena-Vahlna bypass, and the Bhopa bypass.

Police has been deployed at different places on the Ganga Canal Marg with instructions to videograph the farmers and monitor them.

Tikait’s Tears Turn Tides

Tikait's emotional outburst proved to be a major turning point in the farmers' protest site at Ghazipur, which the UP police had given an ultimatum to to clear within 24 hours.

“This government will destroy farmers, BJP’s goons will come and attack them with the police,” said Tikait, in tears.

Those close to him told The Quint that the tears came from a genuine sense of helplessness that the government would attack protesting farmers and that the implementation of the farm laws would be a death knell for farmers.

Within hours of Tikait’s outburst, groups of farmers from Haryana and Western Uttar Pradesh began mobilising and arriving at Ghazipur.

(With inputs from IANS.)

(Note: An earlier version of the story relied on a tweet from a fake account. The story has been corrected and updated.)