Lucknow, April 2
After a three-day drama, BKU leader Mahendra Singh Tikait today reportedly surrendered before the chief judicial magistrate in Bijnore and was granted bail on a surety of Rs 20,000 by the sessions court.
While Chief Minister Mayawati claimed to have arrested the BKU leader from his native village, Sisauli in Muzffarnagar district, this morning, reports suggest otherwise. She demanded the resignation of union minister of state for home Shriprakash Jaiswal for stating that Tikait should not be arrested.
During a press conference, Mayawati expressed shock at the manner in which all opposition parties had joined hands in support of Tikait, who according to her “had dared to make derogatory remarks at a public rally against a Dalit woman Chief Minister of the most populous state of the country”.
There was confusion regarding the sequence of events and whether Tikait had been arrested or had surrendered.
Still there was no confusion regarding his furnishing an unconditional apology for making caste-based remarks against Mayawati during a public
rally in Bijnore on March 30. The Jat leader reportedly apologised by saying: “Mayawati is like my daughter...I am even ready to apologise for any wrong utterance. After all it is human to err.”
Soon after a local court rejected Tikait’s bail application, he surrendered before the chief judicial magistrate at 12.50 pm amid tight security. Later the court granted him bail. As Tikait was being taken away by his supporters after the court orders, the police attempted to take him in custody on fresh charges that agitated BKU supporters and lawyers present in court.
Later, the DGP in a hurriedly convened press conference in Lucknow said the Chief Minister had asked him to assure that Tikait and his family members are not harassed.
“The law will take its course in this case,” he promised.
