Farmers' Group To Hold Meeting In UP To Address Wrestlers' Protest

A prominent farmers' group has called for a significant gathering in Sauram, a town in Uttar Pradesh's Muzaffarnagar district, on Thursday to address the ongoing protests by a group of renowned wrestlers. The wrestlers have accused the head of their federation of sexual harassment, sparking a nationwide movement.

Naresh Tikait, leader of the Bharatiya Kisan Union (BKU) and head of the Balyan Khap, has announced that the wrestling protest will be the central issue discussed during the mahapanchayat (grand assembly) at the historic Sauram Chaupal.

The wrestlers initiated their protest in New Delhi in January of this year, demanding action against Brij Bhushan Singh, the President of the Wrestling Federation of India (WFI), who has been accused of sexually harassing female athletes.

In a dramatic turn of events on Tuesday, top wrestlers, including Olympic medallists Sakshi Malik, Bajrang Punia, and Asian Games champion Vinesh Phogat, gathered on the banks of the Ganges River in Haridwar.

They had threatened to throw their World and Olympic medals into the holy river in protest against the lack of action taken against Mr. Singh, who is also a member of parliament from the ruling BJP.

However, Tikait and other Khap and farmer leaders managed to persuade them to hold off, promising a resolution within five days.

In his message to the media, Tikait commended the athletes, stating, "Because of them, we hold our heads high in the international sports arena. We will ensure that they will not have to hang their heads in shame."

The mahapanchayat is expected to be attended by representatives of different khaps and their leaders from Uttar Pradesh, Haryana, Punjab, Rajasthan, and Delhi, to discuss the next steps in the wrestling protest.

This development follows the detention of several wrestlers by the Delhi Police on May 28, who also filed First Information Reports (FIRs) against them for violating law and order. The athletes' campsite was cleared when they attempted to march towards India's new parliament building.

The United World Wrestling (UWW), the international governing body for the sport, has condemned the detention of the wrestlers and expressed disappointment in the lack of progress in the investigations against Mr. Singh.

In a statement, the UWW reminded the Indian Olympic Association (IOA) of its commitment to hold fresh elections for the WFI within 45 days, warning that failure to do so may result in the suspension of the federation.

The UWW has also expressed concerns about the safety of the athletes and plans to hold a meeting with the wrestlers to discuss their conditions.