Casteist remarks: Buta to issue summons to Tikait

The National Commission for Scheduled Castes has finally decided to summon Bharatiya Kisan Union leader Mahendra Singh Tikait for allegedly making casteist remarks against Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Mayawati at a rally in Bijnore district on March 30.

The Commission will also call Uttar Pradesh Home Secretary and Superintendent of Police of the Bijnore to come and explain why they had not provided the information sought by it in connection with the incident.

Since Tikait has failed to respond to the Commission's notice, there was no way left to issue orders to him other than to appear before the Commission, an official told UNI.

The Commission had issued a notice to the BKU leader on the basis of the FIR report, a copy of which had been sent to the Commission by the DIG along with his own remarks that Tikait's speech of at the rally contained some remarks which were derogatory to a caste.

Commission chairperson Buta Singh had sought the full text of Tikait's speech from Uttar Pradesh authorities in April before deciding any action against him, but so far the district administration has failed to do so. It was now acting on the FIR report.

Soon after the Bijnore rally, Mayawati had accused Singh of acting under the pressure of his party, the Congress, in not taking action against the BKU leader.

However, Singh had refuted the charge, saying that the Commission swung into action soon after hearing of Tikait's alleged remarks through TV channels and sought a text of the speech from the District administration.

He had also said the Chief Minister's office had insulted him when he tried to contact Mayawati in connection with the matter.

"Now, with the FIR copy in hand, the Commission would soon be issuing summons to Tikait," an official of the Commission told UNI.