Wrestlers' Protest: Farmer leaders to meet President, govt to seek justice; warns ‘if they do not...’ | 10 points
Farm leaders will form a delegation to approach President Droupadi Murmu seeking justice for protesting wrestlers, including Vinesh Phogat, Sakshi Malik, and Bajrang Punia, demanding the arrest of WFI chief and BJP MP Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh on allegations of sexual harassment.
PremiumA Khap Mahapanchayat was held in Muzaffarnagar by the Bhartiya Kisan Union (BKU) leaders, helmed by Naresh Tikait and Rakesh Tiakit. In the assembly it was decided that the farm leaders would form a delegation and approach President Droupadi Murmu seeking justice for the protesting wrestlers which include Vinesh Phogat, Sakshi Malik, Sangeeta Phogat, and bajrang Punia, demanding the arrest of Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) chief and Bhartiya Janata Party (BJP) MP Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh on allegations of sexual harassment on female wrestlers including a minor.
"We will meet the president and the government and if they do not take any decision (on Brij Bhusan Saran Singh), we will take the next step," Rakesh Tikait said without elaborating further.
He, however, did not mention when they would meet the president.
Naresh Tikait is the head of the Balyan Khap, called the mahapanchayat. The mahapanchayat was attended by khap leaders from Punjab, Haryana, Rajasthan and Delhi.
Here are the top developments of this story
-Several representatives of different Khaps and their heads from Uttar Pradesh, Haryana, Punjab Rajasthan, and Delhi participated in the mahapanchayat.
-Asked to comment on the outgoing WFI chief making statements in the media, Tikait said, "The person who has cases registered against him under the Protection Of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act has been given the liberty to talk while the government is not saying anything."
-Naresh Tikait played a key role in persuading some of India's best wrestlers to not immerse their medals in Ganga on Tuesday.
-Olympic medalists Sakshi Malik, Bajrang Punia, and Asian Games gold medalist Vinesh Phogat went to Haridwar on Tuesday and threatened to immerse their medals in the river due to the lack of action against the WFI chief.
-They refrained from doing so after being convinced by the farmer leaders and given a five-day deadline to the police.
-The amped up pressure in protest comes after Delhi Police manhandled and detained and later filed an FIR agaisnt the top wrestlers of India- Vinesh Phogat, Sakshi Malik, Sangeeta Phogat, and Bajrang Punia among others. The treatment by the Delhi Police was meted out to the wrestlers on Sunday, 28 May, when Prime Minister Narendra Modi was inaugurating India's new Parliament Building
-International organisations such as International Olympic Committee (IOC), United World Wrestling (UWW) have condemned the Delhi Police's action on manhandling the protesters and has sought an immediate resolution to the matter
-Three BJP MPs till now have voiced support for wrestlers- this includes Haryana Home Minister Anil Vij, BJP MP Maneka Gandhi, and BJP MP Brijendra Singh. BJP MP Maneka Gandhi said she was confident that the protesting wrestlers, who are seeking the arrest of outgoing WFI chief Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh over sexual harassment allegations, will get justice.
-The wrestlers have been on the warpath since January, demanding action against WFI chief Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh, whom they accused of sexually harassing seven athletes, including a minor.
-Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh, a BJP MP, has denied any wrongdoing and asserted that he would hang himself if the allegations against him were proven.
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