Khap Delegation To Meet With President Murmu To Demand Justice For The Protesting Wrestlers

On Thursday, khap leaders from Delhi, Uttar Pradesh, Haryana, Punjab, Rajasthan, and Muzaffarnagar gathered in the village of Soram in Muzaffarnagar to address the protests organised by female wrestlers against the claims of sexual harassment against the former Brij Bhushan.

Rakesh Tikiat said at the mahapanchayat that the khaps will hold a further meeting in Kurukshetra on Friday to make additional decisions.

The meeting was held two days after BKU leader Naresh Tikait persuaded Bajrang Punia, who won bronze at the Tokyo Olympics, Sakshi Malik, who won bronze at the Rio Games, and Vinesh Phogat, who won bronze at both the World Championships, who together have 45 senior international medals, to postpone immersing their medals in the Ganga in Haridwar and instead give the government five days' notice.

Meanwhile, the battle has been started over charges of sexual harassment of athletes, including at least one kid, the wrestlers have demanded the arrest of Singh, a Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) MP from Gonda who has governed Indian wrestling for 12 years. Brij Bhushan has refuted the accusations, retaliated against the wrestlers, and even claimed that each of their medals is worth fifteen rupees. The wrestlers have requested that he be detained right away despite the fact that he has been expelled from WFI and is currently on suspension and that two FIRs have been filed against him.