Government delayed Bharat Ratna to Charan Singh by 10 years: Rakesh Tikait

THE TRIBUNE INTERVIEW:  RAKESH TIKAIT, BKU LEADER

BHARTIYA Kisan Union (Tikait) leader Rakesh Tikait believes that the BJP-led Central Government delayed the honour of Bharat Ratna to farm leader and former Prime Minister Charan Singh by 10 years. Singh was posthumously named for the country’s highest civilian award earlier this year.

In an exclusive conversation with Neeraj Mohan, Rakesh Tikait said the conferring of Bharat Ratna for Singh was not going to help the ruling party on the ground. He added that the key issues of farmers had taken a backseat in this election, and caste and religion had remained dominating factors.

Excerpts from the interview.

How is this election different, especially in the aftermath of the Delhi farmer agitation?

No election is different. All contenders stake their claim and try to impress voters, but at the time of voting, all elections become the same and key issues take the back seat and caste and religion become dominant and people get misled.

Do you see any impact of INDIA bloc and a united Opposition?

No doubt, unity always has an impact. But there is need to fight strongly, without any fear of jail. If they win unitedly and strongly, they can win. The country is going through a political lockdown, but the Opposition leaders should not be afraid of being sent to jail.

What are the issues of farmers in this poll?

All sections are suffering but the farmers are most affected. There are several issues like guaranteed MSP and ban on use of tractors after prescribed limit. But every election begins with issues and ends with caste, religion and region, and farmers get divided.

How do you rate the performance of your MP from Muzaffarnagar, Sanjeev Balyan?

We don’t have any contact to him. Also we don’t have work which an MP can do, as we raise our issues with the government under the banner of BKU. MPs do not have any power to resolve our issues. All depends upon the policy of the government.

Are you supporting any candidate?

All candidates come to us. But we do not oppose or support anybody. It is up to the voters to decide. There are several people, who join our agitations against the government but in elections, they favour the government.

Will there be any impact on the region’s Jat politics after RLD leader Jayant Chaudhary joining the NDA?

I don’t have much reading on this. But every voter has his or her own tendency, as some people vote as per their own perception which could be based on the issues, candidate or region.

How do you see the conferring of Bharat Ratna on former PM Charan Singh, the grandfather of Jayant, right before the poll?

We don’t think this will have any major impact in elections. Farmers need reasonable price for their crops. Everybody knows the honour (Bharat Ratna) was given a day before the rally of PM Modi in Meerut, it appears to be a poll gimmick. This award should have been given 10 years before.

The Samyukt Kisan Morcha has given a call to oppose the BJP in this election. How is the BKU working on it in UP?

The BKU already made everything clear to the farmers in the past five years and this is the examination time for political parties and candidates. Let the people to decide as per their own conscience.

What is the future of Indian agriculture? Will it become profitable?

India will become a labour country and all people in agriculture will become labour class as the land will be purchased by the big corporate houses as farmers will have to sell their land to fulfil their needs.

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