Shiv Sena leader Sanjay Raut on Tuesday reached Ghazipur border to meet Rakesh Tikait, the farmer leader who has denied vacating the protest site and continues protesting against the three farm laws of the Centre.
"We spoke to Tikait sahib, gave our message and expressed solidarity. The government should properly speak to farmers. Ego would not help run the country," Raut said after the meeting.
The Shiv Sena has been vocal about the farmers’ agitation since the time it has begun.
“The way vandalism unfolded here after January 26 and an attempt made to suppress the movement and Tikait, we felt it is our responsibility to stand by the farmers' and extend support to the whole of Maharashtra, Shiv Sena and Uddhav Thackeray sahab,” Raut told reporters.
Ahead of his visit to Ghazipur, Raut had tweeted, "The Maha Vikas Aghadi government took decisions in the interest of farmers. Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray stood with farmers when they were in pain.”
Raut had termed the tractor rally violence a national shame which strained the farmers’ agitation. He also said that the Centre too should take responsibility for the violence. He further added that the situation got worse due to the Central government’s arrogance.
After the R-day violence, police have beefed up security at the Ghazipur border.
Workers under the watch of police personnel hooked iron rods between two rows of cement barriers on a flank of the main highway at the Singhu border to further restrict the movement of protesters. While another section of Delhi-Haryana border is half blocked after a makeshift cement wall was erected.
Meanwhile, at the Ghazipur border multi-layer barricades have been set-up to stop the movement of vehicles.
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Tikait has emerged as the man whose motive remains unshaken. He has once again pulled the farmers' movement on track after the violence on Republic Day.
The violence during tractor rally on January 26, in which several policemen were injured in a clash with the protesters had hinted to derail the farmers’ protest, but the movement has now shifted to Ghazipur border where Tikait is leading the protesting farmers to push the demands of repealing the farm laws.