In a show of solidarity, farmers and khaps on Sunday gathered at Delhi’s Jantar Mantar to extend their support to wrestlers who are protesting against Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) chief Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh over allegations of sexual harassment.
Meanwhile, a number of khap panchayats and the protesting wrestlers on Sunday issued a 10-day ultimatum to the Central government, demanding action be taken against the WFI chief regarding the allegations of sexual harassment against him.
Representatives of around 250 khaps from Haryana, Rajasthan, and western Uttar Pradesh, along with hundreds of farmers, gathered at Jantar Mantar in support of the protesting wrestlers.
“In today’s meeting between khaps, wrestlers and farmers unions, we have given 10 days time to take action against Singh and if this does not happen, then we will meet again and the protest will be on a higher scale,” said Surendra Solanki, the President of Palam khap in Delhi, told a news agency.
The wrestlers will spearhead the protest while receiving support from the khaps and farmers’ unions, he said.
“Every day, one khap and its members will participate in a peaceful sit-in protest at Jantar Mantar. The course of action will be determined by the wrestlers, and we will follow their instructions,” said Solanki.
Bharatiya Kisan Union leaders including Rakesh Tikait, Arab Singh Ahlawat, Joginder Singh, and others, joined the gathering at the Jantar Mantar to show their support for the ongoing protest by wrestlers.
Earlier on Sunday, the Delhi Police granted permission to certain Khap leaders to travel from the Delhi borders to the Jantar Mantar using their private vehicles. However, it did not allow khap leaders on tractors to enter the National Capital.
As many as 500 farmers, who had gathered at the Tikri Border to join a protest in support of wrestlers, were allowed by the Delhi Police to travel to Jantar Mantar by buses.
The situation became chaotic when a few protesters, including men and women, got off the buses, thinking that vehicles would not be allowed and began marching. However, the police explained to them that they could travel to Jantar Mantar by bus and they subsequently boarded the buses.
“Total ten buses and four cars carrying around 500-550 people were allowed from Tikri Border in the morning. No one was stopped,” said Harender Kumar Singh, Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCP) Outer Delhi.
The Delhi Police had tightened security and placed barricades at all the border entry points.
According to information, the Delhi Police had stationed around 300 police personnel and paramilitary jawans at the Singhu border.
In Outer Delhi, the police had deployed 200 police personnel and security was tightened at the Tikri border which connects with Bahadurgarh (Haryana).
They were also keeping an eye on all the vehicles at Faridabad-Delhi border and Ghaziabad-Delhi border.
The Delhi Police would not allow any tractor and trolley to enter the national capital from any border.
Earlier, ahead of the farmers’ visit at Jantar Mantar in the National Capital in support of the protesting wrestlers, Delhi Police had made elaborate security arrangements at the protest site and at border areas of Delhi.
Security was tightened at Jantar Mantar in the National Capital after Samyukta Kisan Morcha (SKM) on Saturday had announced that it will hold nationwide protests including in Delhi in support of the grapplers who are sitting in protest at the Jantar Mantar since April 23 demanding the arrest of Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) president and BJP MP Brij Bhushan Singh and his sacking from the post in the light of allegations of sexual harassment by the wrestlers.
The SKM had spearheaded the year-long farmers’ protest on the borders of the National capital against the now-repealed farm laws.
On April 23, Bajrang Punia, Vinesh Phogat and Sakshi Malik returned to the protest site at Jantar Mantar, claiming that six women wrestlers, and a minor, filed a sexual harassment complaint against Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh at Connaught Place Police Station but Delhi Police did not register an FIR. The protesting grapplers also demanded that the Sports Ministry make the findings of the Oversight Committee public.
Delhi Police filed two FIRs on April 28 following the notice by the Supreme Court.
Earlier this year, prominent wrestlers came forward to lead a protest against the WFI chief, following which the Union Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports announced the formation of an ‘oversight committee’ to probe allegations against the WFI, Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh and some coaches.
The protesting wrestlers have made it clear that they won’t move until they get justice and Brij Bhushan is removed as the WFI chief and put behind bars.
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