Kisan Union leader Tikait likely to surrender today

Lucknow, Apr 2 : Bharatiya Kisan Union (BKU) leader Mahendra Singh Tikait may surrender in court today, in the case of his alleged casteist remarks against Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Mayawati.

Tikait had showed signs of softening his stand by describing Mayawati as his daughter and expressing willingness to withdraw his controversial remarks against her if she wanted him to.

Earlier, On Sunday he had allegedly made derogatory reference against Mayawati at a farmers' rally in Bijnore District. The rally was organised by the Rashtriya Lok Dal (RLD) leader, Swami Omvesh. Following the alleged casteist remark, the Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) supporters went on the rampage. Thereafter, an FIR was lodged against the BKU leader at a police station.

Village leaders of Sisauli, where Tikait is believed to be camping, have put forward various demands in return for Tikait's surrender, even as the Muzaffarnagar district administration deployed 20 companies of the Rapid Action Force and the Provincial Armed Constabulary (PAC).

As the villagers are preparing for a showdown with the authorities, a team led by Inspector General of Police Gurdarshan Singh was flown into the district from Lucknow late Tuesday afternoon with a fresh strategy to supervise the police action against the farmer leader.

Tikait's sons Rakesh Tikait and Surendra Tikait have already been arrested.

Principal Secretary of the State Home Department J.N. Chamber told reporters that the arrest-warrant issued against the BKU leader by a Bijnore court would be executed at all costs.

Meanwhile, support for Tikait continued to swell up as RL) president Ajit Singh gave a call for a farmers' "panchayat" at Sisauli on April 8.

ANI