Mahendra Singh Tikait was a famous farmer leader of India who led many movements in the interest of farmers.
Contents
Wiki/Biography
Mahendra Singh Tikait was born on Sunday, 6 October 1935 (age 75 years at the time of death) in Sisauli village, located in Muzaffarnagar district of Uttar Pradesh. This is the ancestral village of Tikait family. Tikait studied in a high school in his village till 7th class and then left his studies to handle his responsibilities.
Physical Appearance
Height (approx): 6′ 2″
Eye colour: black
Hair Color: Gray
family and caste
Mahendra Singh Tikait belonged to Jat community.
parents and siblings
Mahendra Tikait’s father Chauhal Singh, a farmer and Chaudhary (chief) of Baliyan Khap, died in 1943. Tikait’s mother’s name was Mukhtyari Devi.
wife and children
Mahendra Tikait got married to Baljori Devi in his adolescence.
Mahendra Singh Tikait with his wife Baljori Devi
He has four sons and two daughters. The eldest son is Naresh Tikait, who is the Chaudhary (head) of Baliyan Khap Panchayat and the President of Bharatiya Kisan Union (BKU).
Naresh Tikait
The second eldest is Rakesh Tikait, who has been the national spokesperson of the Bharatiya Kisan Union since 1997.
Rakesh Tikait
The third eldest son is Surendra Tikait, who is a manager in a sugar mill in Meerut and the youngest son is Narendra Tikait, who handles the work in the fields.
Surendra Tikait
Narendra Tikait
balian khap
Baliyan Khap is an association of Jats of Baliyan Gotra living in more than 80 villages in western Uttar Pradesh. Khap has existed in India since the 7th century. Mahendra Singh Tikait inherited the leadership of Baliyan Khap at the age of just 8 years. He was responsible for leading a confederacy of Jats of the Baliyan gotra living in more than 80 villages in western Uttar Pradesh. He was handed over to the throne at such a young age as per the rule of Baliyan Khap, according to which only the eldest son of a Baliyan chief would inherit his position after his death. While leading Baliyan Khap, Chaudhary Tikait made significant contribution in controlling social evils like dowry, domestic violence and female foeticide. The hereditary title of Tikait was reportedly granted to his family by the seventh-century Jat emperor Harshavardhana of Thanesar. Since then this title is held by the eldest son of the Tikait family. However, every male member of Mahendra Singh Tikait’s family is using the Tikait surname.
Taking charge of BKU
Formed by Mahendra Singh Tikait on 17 October 1986, the Bharatiya Kisan Union or BKU is a non-political farmers’ organization, successor to the Punjab Khetibadi Union (PKU), founded by Chaudhary Charan Singh in 1978. The organization was formed to combat oppression of farmers in the country. Here is a background story of how Mahendra Singh Tikait was elected as the President of BKU. In the year 1986, farmers across Uttar Pradesh were agitating against the increase in electricity rates. They also demanded waiver of water and electricity dues, higher remunerative prices for sugarcane produce, fair prices of crops etc. Then the need for a farmers’ organization was felt as they were unable to put pressure on the state government to meet their demands. A Maha Panchayat was held at Sisauli on 17 October 1986, which was attended by several khap chiefs and thousands of farmers and peasant representatives belonging to all castes and religions. After this, Chaudhary Mahendra Singh Tikait was unanimously handed over the command of National President of Bharatiya Kisan Union (BKU).
major farmers movement
Tikait did not become the messiah of Indian farmers overnight, his stature increased significantly due to the tireless stand he took for the farmers. He spent his entire life fighting for the rights of farmers. During his 25-year tenure as BKU president, Tikait led more than 60 farmer protests. Here are some major farmer movements under the leadership of Chaudhary Mahendra Singh Tikait.
- Shamli protest 1987: This was the first major protest which took place under the banner of Bharatiya Kisan Union (BKU). On the call of Mahendra Singh Tikait, more than 3 lakh farmers gathered in Shamli. The reason for the protest was the increase in the rates of electricity supply to tube wells.
Mahendra Singh Tikait giving a speech at the farmers’ protest in Shamli in 1987
The crowd turned violent at the protest site, due to which the protest had to be ended.
- Boat Club Rally 1988: Whenever Mahendra Singh Tikait-led farmer movements are remembered, the Boat Club protest of October 1988 comes first on the list. The entire army of more than 5 lakh farmers wearing kurta-pajama gathered at the Boat Club of Delhi, Baba Tikait was a prominent face among those leading them.
(L-R) Bharatiya Kisan Union leader Mahendra Singh Tikait with the then Deputy Prime Minister of India Devi Lal, BSP President Kanshi Ram, Janata Dal leader Chandra Shekhar, Prime Minister, Janata Dal leader Deve Gowda and Akali Dal leader Parkash Singh Badal on 9 September 1990 Farmer rally was organized at Boat Club, Delhi on
The rally, which was planned for a day, turned into a sit-in and continued for a week until the Rajiv Gandhi government bowed to the BKU’s demands, which included increasing prices for sugarcane procurement and increasing farmers’ rights. This included waiver of electricity and water charges.
Apart from leading farmer movements, Tikait also organized massive farmer panchayats at Jantar Mantar, New Delhi every year from 2001 to 2010 to address various issues faced by farmers.
Naima Lao Movement
In August 1989, Baba Tikait started a movement against the kidnapping and murder of Naima, a Muslim girl from Sikri village in Muzaffarnagar district. Thousands of farmers, led by Tikait, gathered on the banks of the Ganga canal in Bhopa and demanded the state government to trace the culprits and bring them to justice. The protesters also surrounded a local police station. Although the movement continued for 40 days, the girl’s killers were never found. This movement helped Tikait gain the stature of a powerful secular leader.
A photograph of the Naima Lao movement in Bhopa village in 1989, with Tikait addressing the people from the stage
controversies
On 30 March 2008, Mahendra Singh Tikait, while giving a speech at a farmers’ rally in Bijnor, allegedly made derogatory casteist remarks against BSP supremo Mayawati. On 1 April 2008, Mayawati, who was then the CM of Uttar Pradesh, sent a team of 300 policemen to arrest Tikait under the SC/ST Act. Police went to the village but could not arrest Tikait as his supporters opposed their entry. The next day, Tikait negotiated a peaceful surrender before the Bijnor court and was released on bail after issuing an apology, stating “My words were a mistake.”
Death
After a long battle with bone cancer, 75-year-old veteran Jat farmer leader Chaudhary Mahendra Singh Tikait breathed his last at 7:08 pm on 15 May 2011.
Facts/General Knowledge
- The veteran farmer leader was known for his simplicity. He used to eat food sitting among the farmers. Even during the movements, he used to sit among the farmers instead of on the stage. Tikait will only go on stage to deliver his speech and then return to his place in the crowd.
- Mahendra Singh Tikait had a tremendous personality. His influence was such that he did not need to approach the government to discuss his demands, rather prominent political leaders themselves came to him.
- In his early days, Tikait used to walk with a gun slung over his shoulder or with armed men beside him.
- Despite being a strong leader in North India, Mahendra Singh Tikait chose to stay away from electoral politics.
- The poster of the film ‘Tikait: Ek Kisan Messiah’, based on the life of Baba Tikait, was released on his 8th death anniversary in 2019. The film is written, produced and directed by members of Baliyan Khap.
Tikait: Poster of a farmer’s messiah
See more: Anjali Tendulkar Wiki
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Categories: Biography
Source: vcmp.edu.vn