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Wrestling matches, bike rally brighten weekend for protesting farmers at UP Gate
Ghaziabad: Setting aside the daily routine of holding demonstrations at UP Gate, protesting farmers on Sunday organised Kisan Kesri Dangal, a mega wrestling event, at the Delhi Meerut Expressway where about 70 young wrestlers from different states, both men and women, participated in 30 freestyle wrestling bouts
Ghaziabad: Setting aside the daily routine of holding demonstrations at UP Gate, protesting farmers on Sunday organised Kisan Kesri Dangal, a mega wrestling event, at the Delhi Meerut Expressway where about 70 young wrestlers from different states, both men and women, participated in 30 freestyle wrestling bouts.
Farmers have been protesting since November 28 at UP Gate and the gathering has now swelled to an estimated 10,000-15,000 people.
The wrestlers had come from different states such as Haryana, Uttar Pradesh, Punjab and Delhi.
“It was a first of a kind experience to hold such an event on an expressway. I retired from the Border Security Force in July and came here with my wrestler friends to support the farmers. We decided that we should hold such an event here and took permission from the farmers’ committee here. They welcomed the move and made arrangements,” said Padam Singh Rathi, who is an athlete and came from Meerut.
About 30 bouts of wrestling, including six rounds for women wrestlers, were carried out.
“It was freestyle wrestling to encourage young wrestlers and also to show our support to the farmers. A number of ‘akhadas’ (wrestlers’ clubs) participated in the event. The crowd was cheering for the wrestlers and the venue became overcrowded as everyone wanted to have a look. The wrestlers were awarded medals and trophies at the end of the event,” Singh added.
Seventeen-year-old Waseem Khan also took part in the event.
“It was very encouraging to wrestle amid hundreds of people who were cheering us. Due to the lockdown, I was unable to participate in any major wrestling event so I came here. It encouraged the athletes and we also showed our support to farmers who are carrying on their protest here at UP Gate,” Khan, a resident of Shalimar Garden in Ghaziabad, said.
The farmers in the past week had been battling adverse conditions such as rain and winter chill but the events on Sunday under a bright morning sun brought a smile to their faces.
Meanwhile, a group of bikers also came to the UP Gate site to support and express solidarity with the farmers. The motorcyclists said that they came from different parts south and east Delhi. A majority of them were riding Royal Enfield motorcycles.
“Our group has about 70 bikers, who came to UP Gate on Sunday to lend support to the farmers. We also brought various daily use items as part of ‘sewa’ for the farmers. We often go to other sites at Tikri and Singhu borders. The farmers had taken out a tractor rally, so we also carried out a bike rally to support them,” said Jasmit Singh, one of the bikers who is from Govindpuri in Delhi.
The farmers’ leaders said that the wrestling event was held to encourage youngsters and also to maintain an active atmosphere at the protest site.
“Our protests are going on in a peaceful manner and bikers also came to show their support. The wrestling event was held to motivate youngsters and also to indulge in a new activity to keep the momentum going. Many younger wrestlers, including women wrestlers, participated and we thank all of them that they performed in the winter chill on the open road. Farmers encouraged them throughout the five hour-long event,” said Rajbir Singh, state vice-president of the Bharatiya Kisan Union.
