New Delhi: A khap mahapanchayat convened by prominent farmer leaders on Thursday extended its full support to the wrestlers protesting against WFI chief Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh, who has been accused of unruly conduct and sexual harassment of women athletes. Wrestlers get justice. The khap mahapanchayat was held here at Soram village.
Sharing more details, farmer leader Rakesh Tikait said that a final decision on the issue of wrestlers’ protest will be taken tomorrow at a meeting in Haryana. Tikait, who on Monday persuaded wrestlers not to throw their medals in the Ganges, made it clear that he would leave no stone unturned. “If need be, we will go to the President of India… We are with you, you need not worry,” he told his audience at a massive meeting in Muzaffarnagar today.
Khap representatives will meet the President and the government. Khap and these women (protesting wrestlers) will not be defeated. Tomorrow more decisions will be taken in Kurukshetra: Farmer leader Rakesh Tikait in Khap Mahapanchayat in protest against wrestlers from UP… pic.twitter.com/uTuMAzHNRW– ANI (@ANI) June 1, 2023
BKU leader Naresh Tikait called a ‘mahapanchayat’ on Wednesday, a day after he and other farmer leaders led some of India’s top wrestlers to throw their medals into the Ganges river to protest police inaction against the Wrestling Federation of India (WFI). were able to stop it. ) Prominent in two cases of sexual assault.
Tikait is the head of the Balian Khap. Khap leaders from Punjab, Haryana, Rajasthan and Delhi participated in the mahapanchayat.
Center handling wrestlers’ issue sensitively: Sports Minister
Union Sports Minister Anurag Thakur on Thursday said the Center is sensitively handling the issue of protesting wrestlers demanding the arrest of outgoing WFI chief Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh over allegations of sexual harassment. Thakur, who is on a visit to Mumbai, told reporters that the government has accepted the demand for a committee to look into the allegations of wrestlers and an inquiry is underway.
He said that the Supreme Court has asked the wrestlers to approach the magistrate court. Thakur on Wednesday asked the protesting wrestlers not to take any step that would harm the sport or harm the players and said appropriate action would be taken after the probe into their allegations is complete.
On Tuesday, Olympic medalists Sakshi Malik and Bajrang Punia and Asian Games gold medalist Vinesh Phogat went to Har Ki Pauri in Haridwar with supporters to float their medals in the Ganges. However, they relented after the khap and farmer leaders sought five days to address their grievances.
The Delhi Police has registered two FIRs against Singh. While the first FIR pertains to the allegations of a minor wrestler and has been registered under the Protection of Children from Sexual Offenses (POCSO) Act, the second pertains to outraging modesty.
Singh, who has repeatedly denied all allegations against him, said on Wednesday that he would hang himself if even a single allegation against him was proved. Modi is scheduled to hold a press conference later on Thursday in Gonda district to highlight the achievements of the government in nine years.