India News | Rakesh Tikait Urges People to Camp Near Counting Centres in UP, Claims Irregularities Can Take Place

Baghpat (UP), Mar 2 (PTI) Farmer leader Rakesh Tikait on Wednesday urged people to come on tractors and camp near counting centres in Uttar Pradesh, claiming "irregularities" could take place.

Counting of votes for the Uttar Pradesh assembly elections will take place on March 10.

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"What was done in the zila panchayat (elections) cannot be ignored. Reach the counting centres a day before the counting is taken up and camp with tractors at the counting sites from March 9 itself," Tikait told reporters in Baraut in Baghpat.

He also asked people to reach with beddings a day ahead as they will not be allowed to go there on March 10.

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During the zila panchayat polls held in the state last year, opposition parties had alleged large scale irregularities.

Attacking the government, Tikait said that the dues of sugarcane farmers in this area had not been paid for a year but in view of elections, pending payments were cleared in 10 to 15 days.

"I mean, the government can get payments made whenever it wants. If elections are held every year, then payment of sugarcane (farmers) can also be made every year," he said.

Slamming the BJP government at the Centre, he said it is looking for votes even in the Ukrainian crisis by making students returning from there give statements on the evacuation operation.

"Those who give statements in favour of the government are being shown and those who are telling the reality are not being shown. The elections are more important for the Indian government, are children of India not dear to them. (They are) Looking for votes in a war," Tikait alleged.

(The above story is verified and authored by Press Trust of India (PTI) staff. PTI, India’s premier news agency, employs more than 400 journalists and 500 stringers to cover almost every district and small town in India.. The views appearing in the above post do not reflect the opinions of LatestLY)