Farmer Leader Rakesh Tikait Gives 7-Day Deadline To Centre To Act Against WFI Chief

Bharatiya Kisan Union (BKU) leader Rakesh Tikait on Friday gave a fresh ultimatum to the Centre, saying it should take action against Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) Chief Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh in seven days failing which the government has to face larger protest.

"We have taken a decision that the government 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," he said.

Tikait stated that if they are not allowed to sit at Jantar Mantar on June 9 then there will be an announcement of Andolan.

A Khap Mahapanchayat held on Thursday decided that a delegation would meet President Draupadi Murmu to seek justice for wrestlers demanding action against BJP MP.

It came a day after farmer leaders managed to dissuade some of India's top wrestlers from throwing their medals in the Ganga river in Haridwar to protest alleged police inaction against Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh.

"The central government has time till June 9. We will not compromise on anything less than the arrest of Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh. If this does not happen, we will go to Jantar Mantar on June 9 and hold panchayats across the nation. Cases against wrestlers should be withdrawn and the arrest of Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh must happen," the farmer leader added.

India's top wrestlers have been demanding the arrest of the BJP MP and WFI Chief over sexual misconduct. Seven grapplers including a minor have made sexual harassment allegations against him.

The allegations in the FIRs filed on April 28 accuse WFI President of groping women wrestlers, touching their legs with his legs, brushing his hands across a minor's breast and stalking her.

The FIRs filed against Singh invoke several sections of the Indian Penal Code (IPC), including assault or criminal force to a woman with the intent to outrage her modesty (Section 354), sexual harassment (Section 354A), stalking (Section 354D), and common intention (Section 34), which carry a prison term of one to three years.