‘Opposition Support Not to Be Politicised’: Tikait on Meeting Raut

Bharatiya Kisan Union Spokesperson Rakesh Tikait along with Shiv Sena leader Sanjay Raut during the farmers’ protest against the new farm laws, at Ghazipur border on 2 February.

(Photo: PTI)

“There’s no problem if Opposition is coming to support us, but it should not be politicised,” said Bharatiya Kisan Union (BKU) leader Rakesh Tikait after Shiv Sena MP Sanjay Raut met him during a visit to the Ghazipur border on Tuesday, 2 February,

Following their meeting, Rakesh Tikait, according to ANI said:

“There’s no problem if Opposition is coming to support us but it should not be politicised. We can’t do anything if leaders come. The traffic movement has not been blocked by farmers, it is because of the police barricading.”

Bharatiya Kisan Union leader Rakesh Tikait had on Sunday, 31 January, also said that there was no point in Opposition leaders seeking votes from farmers, in return for their support for the agitation.

“Opposition must come out of empathy,” Tikait had said on Sunday, 31 January.

Bharatiya Kisan Union Spokesperson Rakesh Tikait along with activist Medha Patkar and farmers’ leaders during the ongoing protest against the new farm laws, at Ghazipur border.(Photo: PTI)

Shiv Sena leaders including party MPs Arvind Sawant and Sanjay Raut visited Ghazipur (Delhi-Uttar Pradesh) border on Tuesday, according to ANI.

Meanwhile, Shiv Sena MP Sanjay Raut, according to ANI, said:

“We spoke to Tikait sahib, gave our message and expressed solidarity. Government should speak to farmers in a proper way. Ego would not help run the country.”   

Sanjay Raut at Ghazipur border, New Delhi(Photo accessed by The Quint)

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Earlier on Tuesday morning, Sanjay Raut had tweeted that he would be visiting the Ghazipur border.

According to IANS, Sanjay Raut said that he was visiting the farmers at the Ghazipur border near Delhi on the request of the Maharashtra Chief Minister (CM) Uddhav Thackeray.

Earlier, according to IANS, the Shiv Sena had termed the chaos that had ensued on Republic Day as a result of "intelligence failure" by the Centre which ended in a "national shame for the country”.

Farmers have been protesting against the contentious farm laws for 70 days now.

(With inputs from ANI, PTI and IANS.)