Rakesh Tikait's attackers not from BJP, says home minister Araga Jnanendra

Home Minister Araga Jnanendra on Monday said the three persons arrested for allegedly attacking farmers’ leader Rakesh Tikait are not BJP members.

“Those involved in this are not BJP leaders. We won’t let them go. We won’t allow this in Karnataka,” Jnanendra said, condemning the attack.

“Nobody can curtail an individual’s constitutional right to express an opinion,” he said.

Asked if this was a reflection of a law and order breakdown, the minister said: “Nobody encourages such minor incidents. This episode happened suddenly”.

“If we don’t act, then you can say it’s a law-and-order breakdown. We’ve taken legal action and we will send the culprits to jail,” he said.

‘Goonda raj’

Meanwhile, opposition leader Siddaramaiah slammed the BJP government over the attack on Tikait and accused the party of turning Karnataka into “goonda raj”.

“Mr CM, remember that these goondas have smeared black ink on the face of the Karnataka government,” he said.

He claimed, “Physical assault on Tikait is a testimony to BJP’s inability to face opponents on an ideological basis and has exposed BJP’s intellectual bankruptcy”.

Karnataka Congress president D K Shivakumar met Tikait at Gandhi Bhavan.

“Tikait is the voice of farmers. The attack on him, because he was not given police protection, is an insult to Karnataka,” he said.