Khap, farm leaders gear up to take wrestlers protest to next level
Ravinder Saini
Rohtak, May 29
After the Delhi Police removed the tents of the protesting wrestlers at Jantar Mantar yesterday, the khap and farm leaders are now gearing up to take their protest to the next level to mount pressure on the Central government to accept their demand for the arrest of the Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) chief Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh.
The Phogat Khap has decided to launch a public-contact programme in its 19 villages of Charkhi Dadri district to muster more support in favour of wrestlers.
Plan public-contact programme
- Phogat Khap decides to visit 19 villages to muster public support in Charkhi Dadri district
- Options like indefinite fast, women panchayats at dist level and toll-free passage for commuters being discussed
“We are going to start tour of villages from tomorrow to motivate residents to support our cause. Our team will visit Samaspur, Loharwara, Khatiwas, Kamod and Rawaldhi villages on Tuesday. Since the protest is going to enter the next level, mass participation is a must to ensure its success,” Balwant Numberdar, chief of Phogat Khap, said.
He said all efforts were being made by the government to weaken the wrestlers’ protest, but they would not let this happen. They all were eagerly waiting for the next course of action to be announced by the wrestlers, he added.
“Some khap leaders are constantly in touch with the wrestlers and they have suggested some options to carry forward the protest. These suggestions include indefinite hunger strike, women panchayats and other protests at district level and toll free passage to the commuters on the lines of the farmers’ protest held in 2020-21,” said a khap leader.
He claimed that the wrestlers were planning to announce their next course of action within one or two days through news conference. “Which place either Delhi, Haryana or any other, will be appropriate to announce the strategy, it is being discussed,” he added.
Surendra Solanki, chief, Palam Khap 360, a leading khap of Delhi, said some khap and farm leaders held a meeting in Delhi today to discuss the situation and to find out more options to strengthen the wrestlers’ protest.
“We talked to wrestlers today and discussed taking the protest to the next level efficiently. Since the protest is associated with the women’s dignity, women wrestlers will continue to lead it and the khap and farm leaders will work to execute their strategy/decision in a well-planned manner,” Solanki added.
