Following a Khap Mahapanchayat that was underway in Haryana's Kurukshetra on Friday, farmers' leader Rakesh Tikait said that the government must arrest Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) chief Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh, who has been accused of sexually assaulting India's top women wrestlers, failing which they would be going to Jantar Mantar with the protesting wrestlers on June 9.
"We have taken a decision that Govt must address the grievances of wrestlers and he (Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh) should be arrested otherwise we will go with wrestlers to Jantar Mantar, Delhi on June 9 and will hold panchayats across the nation," Tikait said.
The mahapanchayat, called by Bharatiya Kisan Union (BKU), comes a day after a similar one was held in Uttar Pradesh's Muzaffarnagar where a decision was taken that a delegation would meet President Droupadi Murmu to seek justice for wrestlers demanding action against BJP MP and outgoing Bhushan.
Tikait also said that the families of protesting wrestlers have received threats and should be provided security.
The mahapanchayat was attended by the khap leaders from Punjab, Haryana, Rajasthan, and Delhi.
The protest site at the Jantar Mantar was cleared by the Delhi Police after the protesting wrestlers, including, Olympic medallist Bajrang Punia, Sakshi Malik, international wrestling champion Vinesh Phogat and Sangeeta Phogat, clashed with the police after their march towards the new Parliament was halted.
Asked to comment on the outgoing WFI chief making statements in the media, Tikait said, "The person who has cases registered against him under the Protection Of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act has been given the liberty to talk while the government is not saying anything."
