"It is the Players' Movement"

Dressed in all-white and a saffron headscarf, Rakesh Tikait sits against large photographs of Chaudhary Charan Singh, Mahendra Singh Tikait, Babasaheb Ambedkar, Sardar Patel, and a farmer's plough. There is a collage resting on a corner table. There are photographs of Uttar Pradesh's revolutionary kisan movement from 1986-1989, helmed by the "kisan messiah" Mahendra Singh Tikait. The office traces Bharatiya Kisan Union's (BKU) rich history of protests and the participation of farmers and women in popular movements.

- Swati Shikha

Twelve years after Mahendra Singh Tikait's death, his sons, Khap leader and BKU president Naresh Tikait and BKU spokesperson Rakesh Tikait continue to carry on their father's legacy. After leading an over year-long farmers' movement, the two have now stepped in to fight for the wrestlers with the support of khaps and farmers. However, despite the nationwide support for the protests, Tikait expresses his concerns about the movement's momentum that might be sabotaged by various government means. Shortly after he warned that the wrestlers would be pressured to withdraw their complaints and step back from the protest, fake news that the minor took back her FIR and Sakshi Malik, Vinesh Phogat, and Bajrang Punia withdrew from the protests dominated headlines.

In an interview to Swati Shikha, Tikait said that the country is distancing itself from democracy and inching towards a dictatorship while the government and corporates have collaborated to control the media in an attempt to silence any voices against them.

In what capacity is the BKU associated with the wrestlers' protest? What are the main factors behind you joining the movement?

Unlike politicians and political parties that serve their own agenda, the khaps and BKU are social entities that step in to intervene when something wrong happens. We represent rural India and the protesting children come from amongst us. If there has been an atrocity against them, it is our responsibility to stand with them. We are standing with whatever the players' committee decides.

Where do you see this movement going with the support from khaps and villages?