Tikait visits Buxar, warns of intensifying stir

Tikait said he would visit Buxar again and stay for 4-5 days to plan future course of action, including a tractor yatra on January 26.

Bharatiya Kisan Union (BKU) leader Rakesh Tikait on Monday visited Buxar in Bihar and warned the state government of a stir if it fails to find an amicable solution by January 20 on the issue of compensation to farmers, whose protests had taken a violent turn last week.

BKU leader Rakesh Tikait in Buxar on Monday. (HT Photo)

Tikait said he would visit Buxar again and stay for 4-5 days to plan future course of action, including a tractor yatra on January 26.

“I will talk to the government and, if required, tractor yatra will be taken out. The farmers must get proper compensation. In fact, unless the government uses tear-gas and baton-charge, any movement does not get bigger. The fact is that the governments is least bothered about farmers and their agitation. The Centre and the state have together looted land of farmers. If required, we will also move courts for justice to farmers,” he said, while addressing farmers at Babarpur Khel Maidan.

The farmers in Buxar have been agitating for close to three months, demanding compensation for their land acquired for SJVN thermal power plant at current prices. The the situation flared up last week after the police raided the homes of some farmers during night and allegedly manhandled and misbehaved with their family members.

“It is absolutely wrong to pay compensation to the farmers in 2022 on 2013 rates. Assaulting farmers is absolutely wrong. If the government does not listen, we will have to intensify agitation. After all, farmers have been sitting on dharna for the last 92 days and no body is listening,” Tikait said.

Though the ruling RJD and JD-U in Bihar have maintained a stoic silence on the issue and the government has refrained from making any statement, union minister of state (MoS) for consumer affairs, food and public distribution and environment, Ashwini Kumar Choubey, who is also the local MP, had to face rough weather when he visited farmers to express solidarity.

On Thursday, stones were pelted at Choubey’s convoy in Buxar by protesting farmers. Security personnel, however, managed to escort Choubey safely out of the area.

This is not the first time that Tikait has intervened for farmers in Bihar. A few months ago, he had threatened an agitation if the Nitish Kumar government did not take steps to restore foodgrain mandi system in the state, an issue consistently raised by RJD MLA Sudhakar Singh, who had to resign as agriculture minister after a brief stint in office last year.

Meanwhile, on Sunday night, a police patrol car escorting MoS Ashwini Choubey’s cavalcade met with an accident between Mathila and Narayanpur at Dumraon while he was on his way from Buxar to Patna . Five policemen, including the driver of the vehicle, were injured in the accident. The police jeep overturned after falling into a ditch. After the incident, the locals rushed to the spot to rescue the policemen.

In another incident, a BJP leader collapsed and died during a demonstration against alleged police atrocities against farmers demanding compensation for the acquisition of their land in Buxar. Parashuram Chaturvedi, who unsuccessfully contested assembly polls from Buxar in 2020, suffered a heart stroke during BJP’s ‘Jan Aakrosh Yatra’ against the lathi charge on protesting farmers and an attack on Choubey’s convoy. He was rushed to a private hospital where doctors declared him dead. When Choubey heard the news, he started weeping inconsolably at a press conference in Patna. BJP has criticized the Nitish Kumar-led state government for police brutality and accused the chief minister of running “gunda raj”.