Bharatiya Kisan Union (BKU) leader Rakesh Tikait’s emotional speech on Thursday at the Gazipur border made headlines and acted as elixir for boosting the farmers’ protest in the national capital. The teary-eyed leader’s speech where he threatened to give up his life for the farmers’ cause struck a nerve not just with the protesters but also among netizens throughout the country.
But who exactly is Rakesh Tikait? Here are 5 lesser-known facts about the charismatic farmer leader—
1) The younger brother of BKU chief Naresh Tikait, Rakesh Tikait, is the chief spokesperson of the BKU.
2) The 51-year-old farm leader previously served as a constable of the Delhi Police.
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3) Rakesh Titakit also had a short stint in politics. According to reports he contested the 2007 UP Assembly elections from the Khatauli seat and finished sixth. He fought the elections with Congress support.
4) Later in 2014, he contested the Lok Sabha elections from the Amroha constituency, According to reports he contested on a Rashtriya Lok Dal (RLD) ticket.
5) Rakesh Tikait’s father, Mahendra Singh Tikait was an influential figure in Muzzaffarnagar, who is credited with having founded the Uttar Pradesh branch of the BKU on October 17, 1986. Interestingly, the BKU was founded in 1978 by Chaudhary Charan Singh who went on to serve as the fifth Prime Minister of India from 1979-1980.
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At the moment, Rakesh Tikait has become the face of the farmers’ protest against the Centre’s controversial agriculture legislations. And Tikait’s speech has more than just boosted the morale of the protesting farmers. He has also managed to unify a few factions of the farm unions.
Peeved over developments at the Ghazipur border site, the Bharatiya Kisan Union (Lok Shakti) on Friday re-launched its stir just a day after it had announced its decision to withdraw its protest in Noida.
BKU (Lok Shakti) chief Thakur Sheoraj Singh Bhati called on the union's supporters, who were camping at the Dalit Prerna Sthal in Noida, to head to the Ghazipur border, where BKU members are staying put.
In a video message, Singh also appealed to BKU (Lok Shakti) supporters in western Uttar Pradesh to reach the farmers' mahapanchayat that was convened in Muzaffarnagar.
Presently, Rakesh Tikait seems to be the man to watch out for during the farmers’ protests.
