Tension continued to prevail in Sisauli village in Muzaffarnagar district on Monday following clashes between the supporters of Bhartiya Kisan Union chief Mahendra Singh Tikait and police when the latter went to arrest the farmers’ leader on Sunday night for allegedly using derogatory and casteist remark against Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Mayawati at a rally in the state’s Bijnor district.

The police had to use tear gas and rubber bullets to quell the riotous mob, which reportedly indulged in firing while trying to prevent Tikait’s arrest. A dozen people including cops were injured while many official vehicles were also damaged in the clashes, reports here said.

The standoff, which began on Sunday night, continued through the Monday with Tikait’s supporters cocking a snook at the police. A large contingent of riot control police was camping in the area and had laid siege to the town.

The Bijnor district police had registered a case under SC/ST Act against Tikait, who had allegedly made the casteist remarks during the Swabhiman rally at Daranagar Ganj in the district. The rally was organised by former Rashtriya Lok Dal (RLD) Cane Minister Swami Omvesh, who has declared an open war against Mayawati after her Government lodged dozens of cases against him and put him behind bars under Goonda Act. RLD chief Ajit Singh, and party leaders Anuradha Chaudhry and Rashid Masood were among others also addressed the rally.

Tikait, however, claimed he did not “know he was indulging in any illegality by his utterances”. “This is the type of language we generally use in this belt,” he told reporters.

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