Members of several farmer unions and khap panchayats on Sunday warned that they would launch a protest if Wrestling Federation of India chief Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh is not arrested by May 21, The Indian Express reported.
Singh is accused of sexually harassing several female players, including an underage girl. The country’s top wrestlers have been staging a sit-in protest at Jantar Mantar since April 23, demanding the arrest of Singh.
Two first information reports have been registered against him after the Supreme Court’s intervention. But Singh, who is also a Bharatiya Janata Party MP, has refused to step down from his position in the wrestling body and accused the Congress and certain industrialists of instigating the agitation.
On Sunday, khap panchayat leaders and large numbers of farmers visited Jantar Mantar to show their support for the wrestlers.
Bharatiya Kisan Union leader Rakesh Tikait said that the allegations against Singh were serious and the Central government should not play politics in the case.
“The farmers’ union and khap panchayat leaders will meet again on May 21 to decide what should be done next,” Tikait said while addressing a gathering at the site, The Indian Express reported. “Till then, a khap will come to Jantar Mantar every day to extend support to our daughters. If anything happens to our daughters, then the entire nation will gather here to support them.”
Commonwealth Games medalist Vinesh Phogat said that the Delhi Police should arrest Singh before interrogating him. Phogat also said that the wrestlers would decide on their plan of action on May 21.
She thanked those supporting the wrestlers and insisted that the protest had not been hijacked by farmer leaders and khap panchayats, NDTV reported.
Representatives of 16 farmers’ unions under the umbrella body of Samyukta Kisan Morcha were present at Jantar Mantar on Sunday. Several trade union bodies, the All India Democratic Women’s Association, the National Federation of Indian Women and the Delhi Transport Corporation Workers’ Union have also expressed their support for the wrestlers demands.
The Delhi Police have beefed up security at the Singhu, Tikri and Ghazipur borders of Delhi, which were key sites of the year-long farmers’ protest that culminated in November 2021 with the Centre repealing three agriculture laws.
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