A “Khap Mahapanchayat” in Haryana’s Kurukshetra on Friday demanded the arrest of outgoing Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) president and Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) MP Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh and gave the government time till June 9 to act on it. Gave the time of It said that if the demand is not met, the farmers will go to Jantar Mantar on June 9 with the protesting wrestlers.
Protesting wrestlers attempted to march towards Parliament on the day of the inauguration of the new Parliament building, after which they clashed with the police. The police detained the protesting wrestlers and removed their belongings from Jantar Mantar, the venue of the protest. Subsequently, an FIR was lodged against wrestlers Vinesh Phogat, Sakshi Malik and Bajrang Punia as well as other protesters on other charges including rioting. A meeting of the “Khap Mahapanchayat” was held here to discuss the next steps to be taken in the movement related to the issue of alleged sexual harassment of wrestlers.
After the mahapanchayat, Bharatiya Kisan Union (BKU) leader Rakesh Tikait told reporters that the WFI chief should be arrested. He said that the FIR lodged against the wrestlers should be quashed. He said that he is giving time till June 9 to the government to act on his demand. Tikait claimed that if the demand is not met, the movement will be intensified by holding mahapanchayats across the country. “The first priority will be to arrest (the outgoing WFI president) and withdraw the cases (registered against the wrestlers),” he said.
Tikait said, “They (government) should resolve the matter through talks.” He (Brij Bhushan) must be arrested, otherwise we will take these children (protesting wrestlers) to Jantar Mantar on June 9. This decision has been taken in the mahapanchayat.
He said that he would also meet the Home Minister and the government. Also claimed that all Khaps are united on this issue. Representatives of various khaps and farmers’ organizations arrived at the ‘Jat Dharamshala’ from various places including Haryana, Punjab, Rajasthan and Uttar Pradesh on Friday. Farmers’ organizations organized a “Khap Mahapanchayat” in Uttar Pradesh on Thursday, while several protests in Punjab and Haryana showed solidarity with wrestlers who accused BJP MP Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh of sexually assaulting female wrestlers. is charged.
Tikait said, “Today is June 2. The government has time till June 9. They can choose the path of dialogue. We have also spoken to the wrestlers, they are completely disappointed. We want nothing less than arrest. “He said,” If anything untoward happens to these children (wrestlers) till he (Brij Bhushan) is arrested, it will be his (Brij Bhushan) responsibility.
Wrestlers’ families are getting threat calls, they are scared. The security cover should be increased. ”””” The farmer leader said that when the farmer s’ agitation was going on against the agricultural laws (now repealed), panchayats were held across the country and the government had to bow down. He claimed that the entire country stands with the wrestlers.
Tikait said, “We are demanding his arrest. We have to prepare for the movement. A big panchayat will be convened in Shamli on June 11 and more panchayats in Haridwar on June 15-18. If nothing happens till then, panchayats will be held across the country.
Earlier during the mahapanchayat, some ruckus was also witnessed and there was a minor scuffle between some of the members participating in the programme. The incident took place after some members who attended the event demanded that the speakers at the event should confine themselves to the core issue of the day.
On Tuesday, top wrestlers like Olympic medalists Sakshi Malik, Bajrang Punia, Asian Games gold medalists Vinesh Phogat and Sangeeta Phogat had reached Har Ki Pauri in Haridwar to protest against the inaction against Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh. All these wrestlers had gone to the river Ganga to shed their medals on Tuesday, but they did not do so after persuasion by Khap and farmer leaders. The Delhi Police has registered two FIRs against Brij Bhushan, the first under the POCSO (Protection of Children from Sexual Offences) Act based on the allegations of a minor wrestler.
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