New Delhi, May 7
The 31-member committee that is advising the protesting wrestlers on Sunday said if WFI chief Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh is not arrested by May 21, it will take a “significant decision”, even as Vinesh Phogat insisted that their protest has not been hijacked by farmers.
Bhartiya Kisan Union (BKU) spokesperson Rakesh Tikait, Khap Maham 24 chief Mehar Singh and Sankyut Kisan Morcha’s (non-political) Baldev Singh Sirsa joined the wrestlers on the dias and addressed the media.
“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 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.
“If any emergency arises, if the wrestlers face any problem, the entire nation stands behind them.” The wrestlers, along with hundreds of supporters, carried out a candle light march in the evening. Slogans of ‘inqalab jindabad’ reverberated as the wrestlers walked holding each other’s hands. Patriotic songs such as ‘Mera Rang de basanti chola’ were played just before the march started.
Anticipating a large gathering in support of the wrestlers, the security arrangements were beefed up in advance with more than 500 personnel, including many women, from agencies such as Rapid Action Force (RAF), the Delhi Police and the CRPF deployed at the protest site.
The turbaned farmers, clad in dhoti-kurtas, and numbering in hundreds were seen at the protest site on Sunday as a ‘Mahapanchayat’ discussed the next move on behalf of the wrestlers.
The scenes were similar to the farmers’ protest that continued for 13 months until the government repealed the law.
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.
The wrestlers have accused Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) chief Brij Bhushan of sexual exploitation of several women wrestlers over a period of time and have demanded his removal.
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