Published 20:53 IST, February 4th 2021
Rakesh Tikait says 'chakka jam outside Delhi'; welcomes support from 'Hollywood celebs'
Bharat Kisan Union (BKU) spokesperson Rakesh Tikait on Wednesday, said that the 3-hour roadblock on Feb 6 would be everywhere outside Delhi, at a press meet
Detailing about the 'chakka jam' on February 6, Bharat Kisan Union (BKU) spokesperson Rakesh Tikait on Wednesday, said that the 3-hour roadblock would be everywhere outside Delhi. He added that farmers will provide food and water to people stuck in traffic, while explaining to them 'what the Govt was doing to them'. Tikait also welcomed the support from Hollywood celebrities for the farmers' movement a day after the Twitter war between international celebs and Indian celebs & Centre over Farm Laws.
Tikait: "Welcome Hollywood celebs support"
Farmer protests' political turn
The Muzaffarnagar Jat farm leader - Rakesh Tikait has been at the forefront of the farm movement at the UP-Delhi borders. With the dip in farmers' protest after the 26 January violence and Red Fort incident, Tikait re-energised the protest as he called for farmers to head to Ghazipur, while breaking down on camera saying, " I will commit suicide, but won't vacate the protest site". His ardent plea evoked a massive response with thousands of farmers camping at Ghazipur. Tikait's call was in response to the Yogi government's order to vacate the Ghazipur protest site within 24 hours - cutting off water, electricity and internet.
Since then, the farmers' protest has taken a definite political turn with Manish Sisodia visiting the Singhu border and Rajya Sabha MP Sanjay Singh addressing the Kisan Mahapanchayat at Muzaffarnagar. Moreover, several politicians like Abhay Singh Chautala, Sukhbir Singh Badal, Chaudhary Ajit Singh, Sanjay Singh, Arvind Kejriwal spoke to Tikat after he broke down and several politicians like Shiv Sena MP Sanjay Singh, Hanuman Beniwal and others visiting Tikait. The BKU leader has since then held two massive Kisan Panchayats in UP's Muzaffarnagar and Haryana's Jind, where thousands gathered and Tikait declared "We have so far talked about ‘law wapsi’. What will you do if we call for gaddi wapsi?".
Twitter war over farmers' protest
The Twitter war over farmers' protest began when US pop star Rihanna asked 'why aren't we talking about this?', sharing a CNN article on internet shutdown across farmer protest sites across Delhi. Immediately, several international celebrities like Greta Thunberg, Canadian Youtuber Lilly Singh, Mia Khalifa, Hasan Minhaj, US Vice-Prez Kamala Harris' niece - Meena Harris threw their support to the farmers' protest- bashing the Centre. In protest, several Indian celebrities like Akshay Kumar, Suniel Shetty, Kangana Ranaut, and almost the entire Indian cricket team hit back against 'interference into India's internal matters' urging India to stand together to solve its issues. The MEA said some "vested interest groups" are trying to enforce their agenda on the protests, while the Delhi police has filed an FIR against the 'toolkit document' which 'planned a conspiracy' against Indian govt.
Updated 20:53 IST, February 4th 2021