'Will meet president to resolve issue': Rakesh Tikait assures wrestlers
What's the story
Bharatiya Kisan Union (BKU) national spokesperson Rakesh Tikait on Thursday said that a khap representative would meet President Droupadi Murmu and the central government to try to resolve the issue of protesting wrestlers, reported PTI. Addressing a mahapanchayat in Uttar Pradesh's Muzzafarnagar, Tikait said the khap and agitating grapplers would not be defeated. Notably, the khaps of Haryana have been supporting the wrestlers' protest.
Twitter Post
Watch: Tikait's full statement
VIDEO | "A Khap representative will meet the President and the government. The Khap and these girls (wrestlers) will not be defeated," says farmer leader Rakesh Tikait on wrestlers' protest. pic.twitter.com/DTpFZUlhdv
— Press Trust of India (@PTI_News) June 1, 2023
Details
Farmers sought 5 days' time to address wrestlers' grievances
Tikait's remarks come days after top athletes, including Vinesh Phogat, Sakshee Malikkh, and Bajrang Punia, went to Haridwar to immerse their World and Olympic medals in the Ganga River. However, dramatic scenes unfolded after farmers' leader Naresh Tikait and khap leaders reached the spot, and urged them not to take such an extreme step. They also sought a five-day deadline to address their grievances.
Twitter Post
Watch: Farmer leaders take medals from grapplers in Haridwar
#WATCH | Naresh Tikait arrives in Haridwar where wrestlers have gathered to immerse their medals in river Ganga as a mark of protest against WFI chief and BJP MP Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh over sexual harassment allegations. He took medals from the wrestlers and sought five-day… pic.twitter.com/tDPHRXJq0T
— ANI (@ANI) May 30, 2023
More information
Mamata Banerjee to hold march today in support of wrestlers
Meanwhile, West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee said she will hold a candlelight march on Thursday to support the wrestlers' protest, reported ANI. The Trinamool Congress (TMC) chief also extended her support to the grapplers on Sunday, when they were detained and booked for violating law and order by trying to march to the new Parliament.
Protest
WFI chief faces sexual harassment allegations by seven women wrestlers
The wrestlers have been protesting for over a month, demanding the arrest and removal of Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh, the Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) chief and a Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) MP. He has been accused of sexual harassment by seven women wrestlers, including a minor. The Delhi Police has registered two FIRs against him but no arrest has been made so far.