Khaps to meet Prez over WFI president

Tribune News Service

New Delhi, June 1

A khap mahapanchayat held at Soram village in Muzaffarnagar today decided that a delegation would meet President Droupadi Murmu to seek justice for the wrestlers demanding action against Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) chief Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh over sexual harassment allegations.

To approach advani

• Khap leaders mull meeting BJP veterans LK Advani, Murli Manohar Joshi as WFI chief said to be close to them
• Want FIRs quashed against wrestlers for breaking barricades on May 28
• Seek answer from Delhi Police on investigation

The mahapanchayat was called by the Bhartiya Kisan Union leader and Balyan khap head Naresh Tikait, who along with other farmer leaders had on Tuesday managed to dissuade the protesting wrestlers from throwing their medals in the Ganga over alleged police inaction against the WFI chief.

The mahapanchayat was attended by khap leaders from Punjab, Haryana, Rajasthan and Delhi. At the mahapanchayat, farmer leader Rakesh Tikait said the khaps would hold another meeting in Kurukshetra tomorrow to decide the future course of protest, which could include blocking highways and “rail roko”. The khap leaders, including Shyam Singh Malik and Choudhary Surinder Singh Solanki, also decided to meet senior BJP leaders like LK Advani, Murli Manohar Joshi over the issue.

Sources said the khaps would demand a report from the Delhi Police on the investigation into the sexual harassment allegations and would also seek the registration of an FIR against the uncle of the minor complainant. The uncle had alleged that she was not a minor, a claim that the khap leaders allege was based on forged documents. Earlier as the mahapanchayat began, Shyam Singh Malik stunned the gathering by saying that wrestlers Bajrang Punia, Vinesh Phogat and Sakshi Malik had communicated to them that they could take the extreme step of dying by suicide if the matter was not resolved. “The wrestlers told us that after the end of the five-day deadline that they gave us (on May 30), they will attempt suicide as they have waited for long for justice. They have put faith in us and we cannot fail them,” Malik said. Meanwhile, the wrestlers stayed away from the meeting despite several requests from farm and khap leaders.