New Delhi: Farm leader Rakesh Tikait was attacked and had ink thrown at him while he was at a press conference in Bengaluru on Monday, May 30.

In footage of the incident which has emerged on social media, Tikait can be seen sitting at the dais while a fellow speaker sat beside him is speaking.

Two men are then seen approaching the Bharatiya Kisan Union (BKU) leader and one of them begins attacking him with a microphone placed in front of Tikait. Immediately after that, the other man throws ink on Tikait’s face.

The videos also show the chaos that ensued after the incident, with chairs being thrown and a brawl erupting in the venue.

Chants of “Modi, Modi” can be heard in the video.

Tikait was one of the most prominent faces of the year-long farmers’ movement which took place last year and ended with the Modi government having to repeal the three controversial agriculture laws due to the pressure.

Tikait was reportedly in Bengaluru on Monday to respond to allegations that he had colluded with the Union government in order to draw the farmers’ protest to a close.

According to a report by the Hindu, fellow farm leader from Karnataka Kodihalli Chandrashekhar, in a sting-operation recently broadcast on a Kannada-language news channel, had made the claim that Tikait had worked with the Union government and had struck some deal in order to end the protest against the farm laws.

The newspaper also reported that according to the local police, three individuals involved in the attack have been apprehended and sent to the High Grounds police station in the city.

Moreover, news agency ANI reported that one of the organisers of the event cried foul about no security being offered for the press conference by the Bengaluru police. As such, the organiser alleged that the attack on Tikait had been done in “collusion” with the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) government in the state.

The Samyukta Kisan Morcha (SKM) demanded strict punishment for those who threw ink on Tikait.
The umbrella organisation of over 40 farm unions also demanded that the police officers "guilty for this negligence" be suspended and a judicial inquiry ordered in the matter.

Alleging that the Karnataka government had not made any security arrangements for Tikait, the SKM said, "The photo of the prime accused along with former Karnataka chief minister B.S. Yediyurappa, BJP's state vice-president Vijayendra, current home minister Araga Jnanendra and irrigation minister Govind Karjol has now made it clear that the attack was sponsored by the BJP."

(With PTI inputs)

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