Delhi: Scores of farmers in green turbans broke through police barricades as they joined the wrestlers in their protest against Wrestling Federation of India president Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh at the capital's Jantar Mantar on Monday. The women wrestlers have filed sexual harassment complaints against the WFI chief and demand his arrest.
Earlier on Sunday Khap panchayat leaders gave a 15-day deadline to the government to look into the wrestlers' demands after they lent their support to the women wrestlers protesting against Singh. The 31-member committee that is advising the protesting wrestlers said if WFI chief Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh is not arrested by May 21, it will take a "significant decision". They demanded Singh's arrest as well.
Bhartiya Kisan Union (BKU) spokesperson Rakesh Tikait, Khap Maham 24 chief Mehar Singh and Sankyut Kisna Morcha's (non-political) Baldev Singh Sirsa joined the wrestlers on the dias and addressed the media. However, sporting star Vinesh Phogat, one of the preeminent faces of the wrestlers' protest maintained that their protest has not been hijacked by farmers. The world championship medallist, also hinted that the protest may become bigger if their demands are not met.
Also read: Wrestlers' protest: Farmer unions, Khaps join in, give govt May 21 deadline
"Many leaders from Khap panchayat and SKM attended the meeting today. We decided that members from every khap will come to the protest site every day. They will stay here during the day and return by the evening," Tikait said on Sunday before a huge gathering. "The wrestlers' committee will take care of the protest and we will support the wrestlers from outside. We have scheduled a meeting for May 21. If the government does not offer a resolution, we will devise our next strategy," he added.
There has been a heavy deployment of Rapid Action Force (RAF) at the protest site as many khap leaders and farmers started joining the aggrieved wrestlers. The Delhi Police have recorded statements of the seven women complainants under section 161 while the statements under 164 (before a magistrate) under Criminal Procedure Code (CrPC) are yet to be recorded.
