By Thursday afternoon, the feeling of surrender engulfed the air at the Ghazipur on the border of Delhi-Uttar Pradesh. Thousands of farmers, who had been camping there since the end of November had come to terms with the fact that the protest site would soon be cleared out.
Policemen in heavy numbers were descending on the site since morning in the aftermath of the January 26 violence. Soon news came that the Ghaziabad DM had issued a verbal ultimatum to farmers — clear the site by midnight or be removed.
The protest site had already been plagued by power cuts and disruptions in water supply since Wednesday. With the DM’s order, the exit signs became clearer.
In the evening Bharatiya Kisan Union leaders, many of them accused of instigating the Republic Day violence, reached the Ghazipur site to address the crowds. Senior police and district officials met with them and that is when things changed. The talks with the administration failed and BKU leaders accused the police of coming along with BJP leaders.
Despite speculations to the contrary, BKU leaders boldly declared that no matter, they will not surrender and the protest will continue.
Named in multiple FIRs, BKU national spokesperson Rakesh Tikait took to the stage and said that he will not surrender and will even call more people to join the protest if needed.
As he left the stage and spoke to media, Tikait broke down. As he sobbed on national television, he told reporters that he would rather commit suicide than leave and end the protest against the farm laws.
: https://t.co/opiR58YgaM pic.twitter.com/v4rm8i7GKZ
— TezTV (@TezChannel)
He also announced that he would sit on a hunger strike at the protest site and only drink water from his village.
Tikait claimed a threat to his life, alleging that armed goons were sent to the protest site.
“We want to 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.
His tears became the elixir to revive a thinning protest.
Soon, hundreds of followers gathered outside Rakesh Tikait’s house in UP’s Sisauli, chanting slogans in his support.
His brother Naresh Tikait, the chief of the BKU who had earlier agreed to clear out the Ghazipur site, announced a mahapanchayat in stronghold Muzaffarnagar to decide the future course of action.
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— Naresh Tikait (@NareshTikait_)
Naresh is the leader of Balian Khap Panchayat — the strongest Jat body in Western UP.
Soon, several videos shaming supporters for abandoning a leader who stood for them and was now left crying surfaced on social media.
western UP ke haar mobile ke Whatsapp pe ye video hai iss time…
— Arun Arora (@Arun2981)
The warcry had an impact. By 11 pm, the numbers at Ghazipur once again started to swell. Groups of farmers from Meerut, Baraut, Baghpat and Muradnagar reached the site to lend their support to Rakesh Tikait.
The Rashtriya Jat Mahasangh also reached Ghazipur to extend their solidarity to farmers. “This is a fight against the death of our farmers. By morning, thousands of farmers will be here,” Rohit Jakhar, a Jat leader said.
In Haryana’s Kandela, Tikait’s supporters blocked the Jind-Chandigarh road in protest.
#FarmersProtest | Farmers stage protest in favour of @RakeshTikaitBKU, block highway in Haryana’s Jind. @satenderchauhan with more details. #FarmLaws #ITVideo pic.twitter.com/Nu2SS9RSIa
— IndiaToday (@IndiaToday)
At the time of writing this copy, the police were returning from the Ghazipur protest site in face of the growing crowd. They had been deployed in the afternoon — when they thought the protest would end soon. One thing was certain, the Ghazipur protest will live see to another day.