A video has emerged showing black ink being thrown at Bhartiya Kisan Union spokesperson Rakesh Tikait while he was attending an event in Karnataka’s Bengaluru. High Grounds Police Station said three persons have been detained in connection with the incident.
The 30-second video tweeted by news agency ANI shows black ink thrown on Tikait’s face, following which a scuffle breaks among those attending the event. Visuals showed pandemonium at the press conference venue with people throwing chairs at one another.
The BKU leader, who spearheaded the 13-month-long farmers’ protest against the Centre’s now-repealed farm laws, was addressing a press conference when a group of nearly dozen people barged into the event and threw ink at him.
Tikait had called the press meet to speak about a sting operation in which a Karnataka farmer leader was allegedly caught asking for money.
Tikait accused the state BJP government of not providing security at the venue. “No security was provided by local police here. This has been done in collusion with the government,” he said, according to news agency ANI.
Ever since the farm laws were repealed, the BKU has been splitting with the latest one being earlier this month when a section of its leaders formed a separate outfit – BKU (Apolitical), led by Rajesh Singh Chauhan.
The leaders of BKU (Apolitical) alleged that they were upset with the “political” statements made by BKU spokesperson Rakesh Tikait during the farm law protests and the recent Assembly elections in Uttar Pradesh.