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‘Arrest Brij Bhushan Singh by 9 June or else…,’ Farmers’ give ultimatum to govt

Khap sources said the government was ready to accept any demand except that of the wrestling body chief's arrest.

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Kurukshetra: Members of 75 “khap panchayats” have given a seven-day ultimatum to the central government for the arrest of wrestling body chief Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh over allegations of sexual harassment brought against him by seven women wrestlers — one of them a minor.

They have threatened an agitation as big as the farmers’ protests in 2020-21 if the government failed to do so.

The khap panchayat was held at Jat Sadan in Kurukshetra, the battleground of the Mahabharata. The place was a symbolic choice, farmers said, adding they intended like Lord Krishna to save the many “Draupadis” of India from modern-day “Duryodhans”.

Addressing the gathering, farmer leader Rakesh Tikait said a channel for talks with the government must be immediately re-opened. “We have been talking to the government. We’re trying to resolve this amicably. But if our demands are not heard, then the government should remember that our tractors are not taken on rent,” Tikait said.

Rakesh Tikait announced there will will be nationwide panchayats to generate awareness about the issue till the ninth. “These meetings in all villages of India will keep the protest going,” he said.

The decision was arrived after a two-hour long meeting of heads of various khaps. Wrestlers didn’t attent the mahapanchayat but Vinesh Phogat joined via a phone call, a khap leader who attended the meeting told ThePrint. “All she wants is the immediate arrest of Brij Bhushan,” the khap head said.

Sources also said talks with the government have been ongoing since the day the wrestlers announced their decision to drown their medals in the Ganga. The grapplers have also demanded the formation of a separate federation for female wrestlers, to be headed by women. This demand, sources said, has been accepted by the government, but they were unwilling to arrest Singh. “The government is willing to accept every demand, except that of Brij Bhushan’s arrest,” the khap head said.

He also said the government was upset with wrestlers for opening their platform to Opposition parties.

Olympians Bajrang Punia, Sakshi Malik and Asian Games medal winner Vinesh Phogat ledprotests at Delhi’s Jantar Mantar since 23 April — their second since January — demanding the immediate arrest of Singh, the chief of the Wrestling Federation of India and Bharatiya Janata Party MP from Kaiserganj.

On 28 May, the protest was broken up by the Delhi Police when wrestlers tried to march to the new Parliament building, which was being inaugurated the same day by the Prime Minister. the cops also slapped several cases against the wreslters and swiftly cleared out their belongings from Jantar Mantar.

Post their detentions, wrestlers had announced their intention to throw their medals into the Ganga river. This was intercepted by farmer leader Naresh Tikait, who then asked time from wrestlers to start a bigger movement.


Also read: ‘Distressed & disturbed’: 1983 World Cup cricket champions stand behind protesting wrestlers


 

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