Turban knocked off, asked to go back: Rakesh Tikait faces fierce protest at Muzaffarnagar rally against Pahalgam terror attack

Tensions flared in Muzaffarnagar just before a public protest—Jan Aakrosh Yatra—was set to begin, organized in response to the recent terrorist attack in Pahalgam, Kashmir. A large crowd of traders and members of Hindu organizations gathered at Town Hall Ground, raising slogans against terrorism and Pakistan. Cries of “Revenge must be taken!” echoed throughout the area.

The situation intensified when Rakesh Tikait, national spokesperson of the Bhartiya Kisan Union (BKU), arrived at the venue. The crowd erupted in protest, chanting “Rakesh Tikait, go back!” As he attempted to leave, people surrounded him, prompting police intervention. In the scuffle that followed, tensions escalated further.

Loud cheer erupted as Tikait’s turban went knocking down, reflecting people’s anger against the ‘farmer leader’.

The protest march had been planned for days by Hindu and trade groups, with the town’s markets closing by 3 PM as per the schedule. By 5 PM—when the march was supposed to begin—the Town Hall ground was already packed. Leaders like Yashveer Maharaj, former MLA Ashok Kansal, and trade leaders Sanjay Mittal and Krishnagopal Mittal addressed the gathering, urging firm action against terrorism.

Massive backlash against Tikait

Rakesh Tikait had earlier announced he would join the protest along with his supporters. However, his presence was met with fierce opposition. Amid the commotion, someone from the crowd even hurled a flag-staff in his direction, causing his turban to fall off. The incident sparked outrage among Tikait’s supporters, leading to more chaos before he eventually withdrew from the scene.

Later, Tikait claimed that this was part of a larger conspiracy to weaken the farmers’ movement. “We came to stand with the people against terrorism,” he said, “but some deliberately disrupted the protest. This is not right. We’ll respond with an even bigger demonstration—this time, a tractor march.”

Written by Jinit Jain
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