Bharatiya Kisan Union (BKU) leader Rakesh Tikait on Thursday broke down at the Ghazipur border protest site, alleging that the administration was trying to crush their movement.
Even after the Ghaziabad District Magistrate (DM) has given an ultimatum to the protesting farmers to end the protest and vacate the Ghazipur border protest site today itself, Tikait has refused to surrender before the police and said a Supreme Court-appointed committee should probe the tractor rally violence, reported India Today.
"We want a court arrest peacefully. But it seems there is a plan to stir violence while protesters return. If there is any such plan, I will remain here. I will face the bullet," Rakesh Tikait said. "Will kill myself if these laws are not rolled back," an emotional Rakesh Tikait said.
Tikait, who has been named in the Delhi Police FIR in connection with the violence at several parts of the city during the 'Kisan Gantantra parade' on Republic Day, made his appearance at the protest site two days later, saying: "We were ready to surrender peacefully but the BJP's local MLAs have been called to beat the protesting farmers." "There is a conspiracy against us. Now, I will not surrender even if the police fires bullets at us," he announced from the dais of the farmers' protest site.
Meanwhile, following the order of the Ghaziabad DM, there was a heavy deployment of Delhi Police, Uttar Pradesh Police, Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) and the Rapid Action Force in the area. The police also pressed drones for surveillance at the Ghazipur protest site, where the farmers have been sitting on protest against the three farm laws since November last year.
Reportedly, this comes after Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath directs all DMs, SPs to get the farmers' protest sites cleared out.
