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Khap leaders bat for wrestlers, to gather at Jantar Mantar tomorrow
Khap leaders condemn the way police allegedly treated wrestlers at Jantar Mantar on Wednesday night. They will also formulate a strategy for initiating future course of action in support of the wrestlers
MEERUT Khap leaders from western UP, Haryana and Rajasthan will gather at Jantar Mantar in Delhi on Sunday to show solidarity with women wrestlers who have levelled allegations of sexual harassment against Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) chief Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh.
This was decided at an emergency meeting convened by the centuries-old Sarv Khap Chaupal, an umbrella body of various khaps in the region, at Soram village in Muzaffarnagar on Thursday evening.
Subhash Baliyan, general secretary of the khap, presided over the meeting that was held in wake of the clash between protesting wrestlers and the Delhi Police at Jantar Mantar late on Wednesday night. The wrestlers alleged that policemen were drunk and used force against them. But the police denied these allegations. The scuffle resulted in detention of a few wrestlers, while few of them were injured.
The emergency meeting was attended by BKU chief and head of Baliyan Khap Naresh Tikait and leaders of other khaps. They condemned the way the police allegedly treated wrestlers in the middle of the night. Tikait said: “It is a battle for honour of our daughters and for our existence.” He also criticised the government for keeping mum over the issue raised by women wrestlers against the WFI chief.
“The entire nation is proud of these wrestlers when they win medals for the country and now they are being harassed for raising their voice against wrongdoings of an MP,” added Tikait.
Subhash Baliyan said it was unanimously decided that all khap leaders will visit the protesting wrestlers at Jantar Mattar on Sunday and convene a meeting there to formulate a strategy for initiating future course of action in support of the wrestlers.
He said khap leaders from Haryana, Rajasthan and UP will also gather there to discuss the issue and take a decision on how to support these wrestlers.
