India: Khaps to hold mahapanchayat to discuss future of wrestlers' protest
The meeting comes days after wrestlers' halted the plans to immerse medals in Ganga
Amid the ongoing wrestlers' protest, representatives of khaps or clan-based farmer groups from Uttar Pradesh, Haryana, Punjab,Rajasthan and Delhi will meet in Muzaffarnagar to discuss the protests.Bharatiya Kisan Union (BKU) leader Naresh Tikait who was at the forefront of last year's "anti-farm laws" will also be leading the mahapanchayat.
The decision to hold the mega-meet comes days after wrestlers halted theplan to immerse their medals in River Ganga as an act of defiance. It was Tikait who had urged the protesting wrestlers to not go ahead with the decision.
“A mahapanchayat’ will be held in Soram village on Thursday to discuss the ongoing protest by wrestlers. Representatives of different khaps from UP, Haryana, Punjab, Rajasthan and Delhi will participate in it,” said Tikait.
According to various reports, 35 khaps are expected to participate in the meeting on Thursday. Though the protests have been confined to the capital city so far, the involvement of khaps means that the demonstrations could spread across the country.
“The wrestlers took an emotional decision on Tuesday to immerse their medals and it was our duty to stop them. The khaps will meet on Thursday to discuss the future of protest. The struggle will still be led by the wrestlers and all khaps and farmer unions will support them to the hilt,” Chaudhary Surender Solanki, president of Palam 360 khap in Delhi was quoted as saying by HT.
WATCH |Indian Wrestlers to toss their medals in river Ganga
Why are the wrestlers protesting?
The wrestlers have accused Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) ChiefBrij Bhushan Sharan Singh of sexually harassing athletes, a charge that the body chief refutes. They are demanding that Bhushan step down from his position and that law enforcement agencies probe the allegations.
After initially calling off a protest earlier this year, the wrestlers were forced to do another sit-in at the Jantar Mantar as no progress was made in the case. It was only after the Supreme Court intervened that the Delhi police lodged an FIR against Bhushan and directed authorities to conduct a probe.
Meanwhile, Indian Olympic Association (IOA) President PT Usha has saidthe wrestlers were tarnishing the image of the country and they should have approached the body instead of taking it to the streets.
(With inputs from agencies)
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