As Rakesh Tikait cried unconsolably Thursday afternoon witnessing the huge police deployment in and around Ghazipur border, a supposed ‘farmers’ agitation took the turn of a protest in which caste pride became the pivot. As visuals emerged of Western UP’s jats pouring into Ghazipur border late on Thursday night and throughout Friday, liberals could not help but be fascinated by the ability of Rakesh Tikait’s tears to pull in thousands of protestors to the borders of Delhi. Earlier, Rakesh Tikait had taken to weeping before national media, perhaps under the pressure of being slapped with UAPA and thrown into jail.
Claiming that the protests will go on and reiterated that the laws must be repealed, Rakesh Tikait also threatened to commit suicide and said that there was a conspiracy underway to murder farmers. Tikait also announced that he would sit on a hunger strike at the protest site and only drink water from his village, while also alleging that some armed goons at the protest site posed a threat to his life. “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,” Tikait added.
Soon enough, liberals got emotional too, and remarked about the virtues of Tikait – the mass leader, who mobilised thousands of people only with his tears. Alleged journalist Saba Naqvi, for instance, said, “The Tears of Rakesh Tikait with TV mikes shoved into his face mocking farmers will also be a still and moving image from these protests and the crackdown.”
The Tears of Rakesh Tikait with TV mikes shoved into his face mocking farmers will also be a still and moving image from these protests and the crackdown….
— Saba Naqvi (@_sabanaqvi) January 28, 2021
Zainab Sikander Siddiqui, on the other hand, took to pontificating about the future of Rakesh Tikait, and how he could challenge the biggest of Indian politicians. She said, “India might be looking at their next big leader – Rakesh Tikait. If he can turn around the blunders committed on 26th January with a few tears, imagine what else he’s capable of.”
India might be looking at their next big leader – Rakesh Tikait.
If he can turn around the blunders committed on 26th January with a few tears, imagine what else he's capable of.— Zainab Sikander (@zainabsikander) January 28, 2021
Others too weighed in with their opinions of the man and his breakdown on national television. While some called Rakesh Tikait’s tears the new talisman of the farmers’ protests, others claimed that his tears would shake the very foundations of the Modi government. A journalist called Sandeep Singh also added that Rakesh’s tears had helped mobilise farmers.
Tears from eyes of #RakeshTikait will shake the foundations of the Modi raj.#ghazipurborder
— Gurmeet Singh Meet Hayer (@meet_hayer) January 28, 2021
Rakesh Tikait’s tears are the new talisman of the farmer protest movement. What a week. Not over yet.
— Krishan Partap Singh (@RaisinaSeries) January 28, 2021
Rakesh Tikait's tears have mobilised farmers. People still remember his father Ch Mahendra Singh Tikait as someone who showed the true power of farmers to government. https://t.co/q6IsbhDmQM
— Sandeep Singh 🇵🇸 (@PunYaab) January 28, 2021
Effectively, the crying of Rakesh Tikait like a baby is being hailed by liberals as a supposed earth-shattering development, which will have severe consequences for the Modi government. What sort of a Lalaland such people are in is for our readers to decide.
Its a trend ….. cry and play victim and gain sympathy .
If tears can make leaders, God knows how many institutions would have come up teaching how to cry with real tears flowing. Perhaps India would run out of glycerine stocks.