Protesting wrestlers to call for a panchayat soon

Bajrang Punia has urged khap leaders and farmer organisations not to hold multiple Mahapanchayats “to avoid wrong messaging” while declaring that the protesting wrestlers will call for a gathering of their own soon to discuss the future course of action.

On Saturday, the Tokyo Olympics bronze medallist attended a meeting with Rashtriya Lok Dal’s Rajya Sabha MP Jayant Singh, Bhim Army chief Chandrashekhar Azad, Bharat Rashtra Kisan Samithi’s Gurnam Singh Chaduni, Palam 360 khap’s chief Chaudhary Surender Solanki and some representatives from Bharatiya Kisan Union (BKU). The meeting took place at Mundlana village in Sonepat, Haryana and lasted about three hours.

“Punia said that there are too many panchayats happening of late which serve little purpose and send a wrong message that wrestlers have been pushed to the background by khaps. He said that wrestlers will soon call for a panchayat and discuss the matter,” Solanki said.

“We respect his thoughts. We believe that the wrestlers’ protest should be run along the lines of the farmers’ protest. That protest belonged to the farmers and so they were at the forefront. This is wrestlers’ struggle and they will be at the forefront. Farm leaders and khaps will support them,” he added.

While the date and venue of the wrestlers’ planned panchayat is not known, it is likely to be held in Sonepat.

Sunday’s meeting was the third instance in the past week of farmer and khap leaders congregating to discuss the wrestlers’ issues. The first Mahapanchayat was held in Soram village, Muzaffarnagar in western Uttar Pradesh. It was followed by one in Haryana’s Kurukshetra on Friday.

On Thursday, the khaps decided to send a 5-7 member delegation to President Droupadi Murmu while on Friday, they gave the government time until June 9 to arrest former Wrestling Federation of India president Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh, who is accused of sexual harassment by at least seven women wrestlers, including a minor. The khaps also demanded that all charges against the protesting wrestlers be dropped.

“Our core demands remain the same. Singh’s arrest is non-negotiable. The government has time until June 9. If nothing happens till then, we shall march towards Jantar Mantar the next day. If police stops us, we will court arrest and begin a nationwide protest,” Solanki said.

Sunday was Punia’s first public appearance since Tuesday’s high drama in Haridwar where Punia, 2016 Rio Games bronze medallist Sakshi Malik and two-time World Championships bronze medallist Vinesh Phogat were persuaded not to immerse their medals in the Ganga at Haridwar.

Villagers belonging to Palam 360 khap from Katwaria Sarai, Ber Sarai, Neb Sarai, Lado Sarai and Munirka gathered at Katwaria Sarai and observed a fast from 10 am to 5 pm in the wrestlers’ support.