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Wrestlers’ agitation: Khaps up the ante, to protest across country from today
Naresh Tikait, who heads the powerful Baliyan khap panchayat of Uttar Pradesh, has called a “mahapanchayat” in Muzaffarnagar, Uttar Pradesh, on Thursday, for which leaders of all khaps across the country as well as a section of political leaders have been invited.
In solidarity with women wrestlers’, who are demanding the arrest of Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) chief Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh over sexual harassment charges, the khaps and Samyukt Kisan Morcha (SKM) have announced a series of events over the next four days. Three mahapanchayats have been called, starting from UP’s Muzaffarnagar on Thursday, a mahapanchayat in Kurukshetra on June 2 and in Sonepat’s Mundlana on June 4.
Naresh Tikait, who heads the powerful Baliyan khap panchayat of Uttar Pradesh, has called a “mahapanchayat” in Muzaffarnagar, Uttar Pradesh, on Thursday, for which leaders of all khaps across the country as well as a section of political leaders have been invited. The Samyukt Kisan Morcha (SKM) will protest across the country on Thursday. Haryana khaps have invited all khaps of Delhi, Uttar Pradesh, Rajasthan, Punjab and other states for a mahapanchayat at Kurukshetra on June 2 and two days later, another mahapanchayat has been called by Samyukt Kisan Morcha and khap leaders in Sonepat’s Mundlana to intensify the stir.
Balwant Phogat, president of Phogat Khap, said people from his khap will attend all the meetings starting and they have started visiting villages to garner support for the wrestlers.
“The opposition and government both have left these girls alone but now the khaps and farmer bodies have announced a series of events. This government fails to understand the language of love and we don’t know why they are protecting an oppressor. BJP leaders from the farming community are also sitting idle. We will follow the decision of the Muzaffarnagar mahapanchayat,” he added.
Om Parkash Kandela, chief of Jind’s famous Kandela Khap, said that they have geared up for the June 2 mahapanchayat at Kurukshetra.
“We have invited all khap leaders of the country, besides inviting farmer leaders and several activists. A strong plan will be formalised in Muzaffarnagar and Kurukshetra mahapanchayats. If required, we will sit on Delhi’s borders and stop the supply of essential items. Some leaders from Haryana will attend the Muzaffarnagar mahapanchayat but we are busy with the preparations of Kurukshetra mahapanchayat,” he added.
He further accused the Prime Minister of having double standards while dealing with the situation.
“The PM had expressed happiness when these players won the medals and now, he is silent on the issue. He had even called Vinesh Phogat his daughter, so why is he silent when Vinesh and her fellow wrestlers are being dragged,” Kandela added.
Two khap leaders, requesting anonymity, said the khap and farmer leaders failed to read the situation on May 28, when the Haryana police detained them and the Delhi police cleared the tents from the wrestlers’ protest site at Jantar Mantar.
“Now, the khaps have realised their mistake and now they have geared up for the next course of action. BKU leader Naresh Tikait had done appreciative work by convincing the wrestlers’ not to throw their medals into the Ganga river,” they added.
A day earlier, Baliyan Khap chief Naresh Tikait had also spoken to BJP MP from Muzaffarnagar Sanjeev Baliyan and urged him to intervene in the matter and ensure justice to wrestlers.
“I am hopeful that the BJP MP Sanjeev will also convince his party leaders to take a decision in favour of our wrestlers. If he fails to do so, we will take strong decisions,” he added.
