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Khaps in Haryana come out in support of protesting wrestlers
A day after top wrestlers accused BJP MP and Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) president Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh of sexual harassment, the Phogat Khap on Thursday came out in support of protesting players and announced that they will go to Delhi to support these wrestlers.
A day after top wrestlers accused BJP MP and Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) president Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh of sexual harassment, the Phogat Khap on Thursday came out in support of protesting players and announced that they will go to Delhi to support these wrestlers.
In a meeting of Sarv-Khap panchayat in Charkhi Dadri, Phogat Khap head Balwant Nambardar said all seven khaps of Charkhi Dadri will join the wrestlers dharna at Jantar Mantar in New Delhi, if their demands are not met within two days.
“The government should sack Brij Bhushan from the wrestling federation and take necessary action against him. The government should order a probe into the sexual harassment allegations from a sitting judge of the Supreme Court. We have alerted all khaps of Haryana and we will join the dharna if the demands are not met within two days,” Nambardar added.
Wrestling coach and uncle of Vinesh Phogat, Mahavir Singh Phogat said the wrestlers have raised serious allegations against the president of the Wrestling Federation of India and an investigation should be ordered at the earliest.
“These allegations are demoralising for the budding wrestlers, especially girls hailing from poor and middle-class families. If the demands are not met, we will visit the dharna site and support our children,” he added.
Mahavir’s wrestler daughter and BJP leader Babita Phogat said she has assured the protesting wrestlers that the government is standing by them.
Women activist and former volleyball player Jagmati Sangwan said after Haryana minister Sandeep Singh, another BJP leader and MP Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh, who heads the Wrestling Federation of India, is facing serious charges of sexual harassment.
“It is painful and shocking that first a woman coach in Haryana and now the wrestlers have to come before the media to share grievances. These women players and their families have invested their blood, all resources and hard work to achieve success in the game but a few corrupt officials want to exploit them. In Haryana, the junior woman coach is running from pillar to post to get justice in her fight against the state sports minister and the government gave a negative impression to the entire women’s sports community by backing the minister. Now, the Union government is mum on women wrestlers’ allegations,” she added.
Azad Palwa, a farm leader from Jind, said the farmer unions are standing by the wrestling players and they will join them at Jantar Mantar if the WFI president is not sacked.
