On May 30, during an event of a farmers organization at Gandhi Bhawan here, miscreants threw ink on farmer leader Rakesh Tikait and three people were arrested as a result of the attack. Shortly after the incident, there was an altercation between the organizers and the miscreants, both the sides attacked each other with plastic chairs. The miscreants allegedly shouted ‘Modi-Modi’. In this case, the High Ground Police has arrested three people.
Karnataka Home Minister Araga Gyanendra said, “We are in touch with the authorities. Three people have been arrested and they are being questioned. I condemn this act. Everyone has the right to freedom of expression under the Constitution.” “
Gyanendra denied the allegation that the people who targeted Rakesh Tikait were BJP leaders.
According to the organisers, the event, which also included a press conference, was held after a sting operation against farmer leader Kodihalli Chandrasekhar to “dispel doubts” about him, and Tikait was invited. The miscreants pretended to take notes in the gathering by becoming journalists in the crowd.
Rakesh proceeded on stage to adjust the microphone in front of Tikait, before one of them attempted to attack the mic. Another man came and splattered ink on Tikait’s turban, face, white kurta, and green dupatta around his neck, tainting his turban, face, white kurta and green shawl. In response to the incident, Rakesh Tikait said that he was attacked with the connivance of the state administration.
“The local police is responsible for this and it happened because of the complicity of the government,” Rakesh Tikait told reporters.
Rakesh Tikait demanded an independent and impartial inquiry into the matter to ascertain the credentials of those who carried out the attack. After the incident, Karnataka Congress President DK Shivakumar met the farmer leader. The Aam Aadmi Party has also condemned the attack.
(with agency input)