News Reports on Rakesh Tikait's 'Media is Next Target' Remark Lack Context

Rakesh Tikait was referring to the government when he said that "media is the next target."

A video of Bharatiya Kisan Union (BKU) leader Rakesh Tikait was aired by several news organisations and shared by journalists to claim that he "threatened" the media during his interaction with reporters on Tuesday, 28 September, in Raipur, Chhattisgarh.

However, we found that Tikait's statement is being taken out of context and he was referring to the government when he said that "media is the next target".

Claim

Several news organisations like Financial Express, Amar Ujala, OpIndia Hindi, Zee News, IBC24, OneIndia carried reports to claim that Rakesh Tikait gave an "open threat to media." (Note: Swipe right to see the images.)

Journalists such as Zee News Editor-in-Chief Sudhir Chaudhary, who has previously been called out for peddling misinformation and Times Now's Padmaja Joshi, shared visuals claiming that Tikait threatened the media.

In the video, Tikait can be heard saying, "Next target is media house. If you want to be saved, then support us or else you will also suffer."

The video saw its presence on Facebook as well and the archived version of the posts can be viewed here and here.

What We Found Out

We came across a longer version of Rakesh Tikait's interaction with the reporters in Raipur, Chhattisgarh, on 28 September, that was shared by news agency ANI.

#WATCH | ... Everyone should join us. The next target will be media houses, if you want to be saved then join us, else you'll also suffer: Bharatiya Kisan Union leader Rakesh Tikait after arriving in Raipur, Chhattisgarh pic.twitter.com/nnCJgS11Z5

— ANI (@ANI) September 28, 2021

Tikait can be heard saying, "Government is government... Main is the one in Delhi who made the law and sold half of the country. Pay attention to them as well. Sold off mandis in Madhya Pradesh... sold 182 mandis. Chhattisgarh will also not remain hidden. Everybody should lend support. Next target is media house. If you want to be saved, then support us or else you will also suffer."

Further, the official Twitter handle of Bhartiya Kisan Union shared the clip of Tikait's interaction with the media and wrote that an "edited video" is being shared to make the misleading claim.

सरकार सब कुछ बेच रही है। सबलोग साथ दो।सरकार का अगला टारगेट मीडिया हाउस है। आपको बचना है तो साथ दे दो नहीं तो आप भी गए।
आईटी सेल के षड्यंत्रकारियों यह बयान 'सरकार का अगला टारगेट' मीडिया संस्थानों को लेकर है।
एक दल का #ITcell वीडियो एडिट कर टिकैत की मीडिया को धमकी बता रहा है pic.twitter.com/wLKtvgmN8h

— Bhartiya kisan Union (@OfficialBKU) September 28, 2021

After listening to the entire interaction, it is evident that the BKU leader's remark was in reference to the government and not his 'threat to the media'.

Later, ANI replied to its tweet carrying the video and put out a transcription of the remarks made by the BKU leader on raising issues of the farmers from Chhattisgarh.

We'll raise the issues of (farmers from) Chhattisgarh. The biggest problem is of MSP in the country, we'll raise this issue. We'll talk about how vegetable farmers of state can be more benefitted & what policies need to be made for them: Bharatiya Kisan Union leader Rakesh Tikait pic.twitter.com/OdxJ0sxm5X

— ANI (@ANI) September 28, 2021

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