Farmer leader Rakesh Tikait denies group's role

Farmer leader Rakesh Tikait condemned the security breach in Parliament on Wednesday and said neither the Samyukta Kisan Morcha nor the Bhartiya Kisan Union were linked to the incident as reported by a section of media.

Tikait is the national spokesperson of the Uttar Pradesh-headquartered Bhartiya Kisan Union and a prominent face of the farmers' umbrella body Samyukta Kisan Morcha which had spearheaded a major protest against Centre's now-repealed farm laws in 2020-21.

During interrogation by the police, one of the accused Amol Shinde revealed that they were "upset over issues such as the farmers' protest, Manipur crisis, unemployment, that's why they committed this act," a source said.

Family members of another accused Neelam said that she had earlier participated in several agitations, including the farmers' protest.