http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/News/PoliticsNation/Tikait_ticks_Jat-Jatav_hostilities_in_UP_with_Mayawati_remarks/articleshow/2915529.cms
Tikait ticks Jat-Jatav hostilities in UP with Mayawati remarks 1 Apr, 2008, 0247 hrs IST, TNN NEW DELHI: The traditional Jat-Jatav hostilities that have determined relations between the two powerful communities in the volatile belt of western Uttar Pradesh burst in the open once again on Sunday with BKU leader Mahendra Singh Tikait launching a virulent attack, containing highly abusive casteist remarks, against chief minister Mayawati. The state administration retaliated immediately, registering an FIR under the SC/ST Atrocities (Prevention) Act against Mr Tikait, and rushing forces to his ancestral village of Sisauli in Muzaffarnagar district. On reaching the spot on Monday, they were greeted with some heavy stone-pelting and brickbatting by the BKU leader's supporters, which left over a dozen policemen, including Bijnore SP and ASP injured. More important, the incident threatened to revive the Jat-Jatav hostilities across western UP and bring the tenuous relations between the two communities to a flash-point. While the Dalits, who, in any case, have over the years come to form the bulwark of the BSP's support-base, are expected to rally behind Ms Mayawati, her political rivals were already trying to fish in troubled waters in an attempt to reap political dividends from the episode. The Congress, which is battling hard to revive its fortunes in the politically-crucial state, saw a window of opportunity. Even though it sounded evasive when asked to comment on the incident, the party could barely conceal its sympathies. ``Mr Tikait is an important leader of the farmers. We are seeking details of the event,'' Congress media department chairman Veerappa Moily told newspersons here on Monday evening. The stand taken by the Congress is certain to come in handy for its political adversaries, which are certain to use it to tar it with the ``anti-Dalit'' brush. It could cost the party dearly in the coming round of assembly polls in states such as Delhi, Jammu and Kashmir, Madhya Pradesh and Karnataka, which have a fairly large Dalit population. Hoping to strike a sympathetic chord among the Jats, the Samajwadi Party too came to the BKU chief's defence. Its political reflexes were governed by the realisation that the Dalits were too well-entrenched in their support for the BSP. At Ground Zero in Muzaffarnagar district, tension prevailed all through the day. UP government has sounded an alert in all the districts of Western Uttar Pradesh and paramilitary forces were rushed to the area to avoid any untoward incident. ``Over a dozen policemen, including SP and ASP Bijnore Gyan Singh and Man Singh Chauhan, were injured in Sisauli village when police tried to arrest Tikait, who had made derogatory and casteist statement against Ms Mayawati at the Kisan Swabhiman Rally held in Bijnore on Sunday,'' ADG (Law and Order) Brijlal told reporters in Lucknow on Monday. The ADG said that Tikait was still holed up in the village panchayat ghar and over 1,000-1,500 villagers had surrounded him to prevent his arrest. Mr Brijlal said police only used tear gas shells and rubber bullets while villagers used illegal fire arms to prevent police from entering the village. Heavy police force, including 400 RAF and PAC personnel, have been deployed in the village, and senior officers, including IG and the DIG, were camping there. ``We have also sounded an alert in all the districts of Western UP including Ghaziabad, Meerut, Bijore and Meerut, to avoid and untoward incident,'' Mr Brijlal added.
