Karnataka: Cases filed against farm leader Rakesh Tikait over Shivamogga speech

Two cases have been registered, one each in Karnataka's Shivamogga and Haveri, against Bharatiya Kisan Union (BKU) president Rakesh Tikait over his recent speech in Shivamogga.

On Saturday, while addressing a gathering of farmers, Tikait had said farmers in Karnataka should organise a protest in the state similar to that of Delhi and gherao Bengaluru from all sides.

"You need to make a 'Delhi' in Bengaluru. You need to gherao Bengaluru (like Delhi) from all sides and people will come and join your protest...The Prime Minister said farmers can sell crops anywhere so you take your crops to offices of District Collector, SDM and if the police stop you, ask them to buy crops on MSP," Tikait had said.

Former Karnataka chief minister HD Kumaraswamy has slammed the state government for the filing of the case.

"These are government efforts to suppress the voice of farmers. Is it really a case of a provocative speech?" Kumaraswamy said.

"There is no provocation in his statements. This is the perception error. It is constitutional to call for a fight. The cases against Tikait should be withdrawn," he added.

Farmers have been protesting at different borders of Delhi since November last year against the three newly enacted farm laws -- Farmers' Produce Trade and Commerce (Promotion and Facilitation) Act, 2020; the Farmers Empowerment and Protection) Agreement on Price Assurance and Farm Services Act 2020 and the Essential Commodities (Amendment) Act, 2020.