Rakesh Tikait rebuts BJP questioning his Iftar Party amid Covid; seeks vaccine for farmers

On Wednesday, a video of an 'Iftar party' held at the farmers' protest on the Ghazipur border surfaced on social media. BJP spokesperson Naveen Kumar Jindal took to Twitter and shared the video of BKU spokesperson Rakesh Tikait where a number of other religious leaders and hundreds of people can be seen. In the clip, there's an absence of masks and social distancing. Despite the massive surge in the COVID cases across the country, the farmers are continuing their protest against the three farm laws at the borders, making the entire place a potential COVID hotspot.

The BJP Delhi spokesperson tweeted in Hindi which can be roughly translated as "Delhi is groaning from Corona. But Arvind Kejriwal's friend Rakesh Tikait is having an Iftar party by stopping the passage of an Oxygen tanker. Not a single opposition party raised a voice to stop the movement, Has the movement become larger than people's lives?" This comes after one of the principal suppliers of Oxygen in Delhi stated in a letter that one of its Oxygen trucks was delayed for 2 hours due to the protest at Singhu.

'Nobody met each other, no one shook hands': Tikait

On being asked about the about video on social media of their recent Iftar party Tikait said that COVID guidelines were followed and the Government has permitted the gathering of 50 people.

"People were sitting at a distance from each other. Gathering of 50 people permitted by Govt, there were 22-35 people. Nobody met with each other, no one shook hands," said the BKU spokesperson who was taking a dose of the vaccine at the time.

'It's our home now': Tikait

Tikait has made it clear that the farmers will not go anywhere as the border is now their home. and they will get treatment in Delhi itself. 

"Farmers are at their home. Where else will we ask them to go? Is Corona spreading from here? We've been living here for the last 5 months, it's our home now...Many farmers took the vaccine but are struggling to get the 2nd dose. We've told officers to set up camp here," he added.

Delhi Lockdown

Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on Monday announced a week-long lockdown in the national capital owing to the surging cases of COVID-19. The Chief Minister mentioned that the situation is very serious as the cases are rising rapidly and there is an unavailability of resources. Under the new lockdown rules, only essential services will be allowed to function by showing an e-pass. The decision has been taken by Delhi Government with an aim to curb the spread of the virus.

COVID Cases in Delhi

According to the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, Delhi reported 85,364 total active cases, 8,31,928 discharges and 12887 deaths. In the last 24 hours, 211 new cases reported with 24,600 discharges and 249 deaths.

COVID CASES in India

As per Union Health Ministry, India reports 3,14,835 new COVID-19 cases, 2,104 deaths and 1,78,841 discharges. in the last 24 hours:

• Total cases: 1,59,30,965
• Total recoveries: 1,34,54,880
• Death toll: 1,84,657
• Active cases: 22,91,428
• Total vaccination: 13,23,30,644

(Image Credits: ANI/@naveenjindalbjp/Twitter)