Top wrestlers who have been protesting against the Wrestling Federation of India president Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh have decided to travel to Haryana and Punjab to gather support for the planned women’s Mahapanchayat later this month.
While Bajrang Punia and Vinesh Phogat will travel to Jind, Haryana, Sakshi Malik will head to Punjab with wrestler husband Satyawart Kadian. The Mahapanchayat will take place in front of the new Parliament building on the day of its inauguration on Sunday, 28 May.
Wrestler Sangeeta Phogat said Vinesh and other key members of the protest were meeting with khap leaders to decide on a future course of action.
“Vinesh and Bajrang are meeting khap leaders in Jind and Sakshi and Satyawart are in Punjab to seek more support for our Maha Panchayat on May 28. We are determined to hold the panchayat near new Parliament building if our demand for the arrest of Brij Bhushan is not met,” Sangeeta told PTI.
It's been about 33 days since tops wrestlers including Olympic medal winners Bajrang Punia and Vinesh Phogat began a sit-in demanding the arrest of former Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) president Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh for sexually harassing seven women wrestlers, including a minor.
Punia said, he thought with all the medals they would be heard, but realised that the reality is different.
Wrestling Federation of India president and BJP MP Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh, who faces a case under the POCSO Act, on Thursday said the law is being "misused" and under the leadership of seers, "we will force the government to change" it.
Singh was speaking to reporters at a meeting here regarding preparations for a rally of seers called by him in Ayodhya on June 5. He has claimed 11 lakh seers will take part in the rally.
– With PTI inputs
