Women's panchayat at new Parliament on May 28: Khaps

Ravinder Saini

Rohtak, May 21

The ‘sarv khap mahapanchayat’, a joint meeting of all khaps, here on Sunday decided to hold a women panchayat outside the newly constructed Parliament building in Delhi on May 28, the day Prime Minister Narendra Modi unveils it, to protest apathetic attitude of the government towards wrestlers’ demand for the arrest of Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) chief Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh.

The mahapanchayat, which lasted over five hours at Meham town here, claimed women from across the nation would participate in the Delhi panchayat. Representatives from around 200 khaps from Haryana, Delhi, UP, Rajasthan and Punjab, besides farmers’ unions, also lent support to a candle march by the protesting wrestlers from Jantar Mantar to India Gate in Delhi on May 23.

The mahapanchayat, presided over by Mehar Singh Numberdar, chief of Meham Chaubisi Khap, demanded WFI chief’s immediate arrest and conduct of narco test on him.

Olympics medallist Sakshi Malik along with her husband and international wrestler Satyawart Kadian, family members of wrestler Vinesh Phogat, farm leader Rakesh Tikait and women activists also attended the mahapanchayat.

Earlier, the mahapanchayat formed an 11-member committee to decide the next course of action. Ramphal Rathi, secretary, Meham Chaubisi Khap, said leaders of khaps and farm unions would assist women who would decide the future course of action on that day.

“Since the agitation is associated with the dignity of women, we have decided to hold a women panchayat at the new Parliament building in Delhi on May 28 to register our protest. We have no intention to disrupt the inaugural function. The panchayat will be organised after the inauguration,” clarified Surender Singh Solanki, chief of Palam 360 Khap, Delhi, and member of the committee.

Wrestler Malik called upon people to fight the battle peacefully, on the lines of the farm protest that lasted over a year on the Delhi borders against three farm laws. “The fight is against injustice and I am confident of victory,” she stated. “All farm unions are with khap panchayats and will work accordingly,” said Tikait, who was not included in the 11-member decision-making panel.

Won’t interrupt unveiling by PM

Stir is associated with dignity of women. We have no intention to disrupt inaugural event. Panchayat will be held after unveiling by PM. — Surender Singh Solanki, chief, Palam 360 Khap, Delhi