1500 Khap Leaders From UP, Haryana And Rajasthan To Hold Panchayat In Wrestlers' Support Today

Khap representatives from Haryana, UP and Rajasthan will on Sunday reach Meham's historic Chaubisi Chabutra in Haryana to hold a mega-panchayat in support of protesting wrestlers.

Amid ongoing protests by wrestlers at Delhi’s Jantar Mantar, Khap representatives from Haryana, UP and Rajasthan will on Sunday reach Meham's historic Chaubisi Chabutra to hold a mega-panchayat. The panchayat has been called by Mehar Singh Nambardar, head of Chaubisi Sarv Khap Panchayat. As per the information, around 1500 leaders are expected to attend the meet in support of agitating wrestlers. 

A committee will be formed by selecting all the Khap representatives who will attend the meeting. The committee will be of at least 31 people and whatever decision it takes will be valid for all.  

This comes as after a long-standing impasse between the Wrestling Federation of India and protesting wrestlers, the grapplers are set to announce their next move on Sunday. On May 9, the star wrestlers gave an ultimatum to the Centre till May 21 to look into their demands and come out with a solution failing which a big decision will be taken by them. 

Olympic medalists Bajrang Punia and Sakshi Malik, as well as Asian Games gold medalist Vinesh Phogat, have been protesting at Delhi's Jantar Mantar since April 23 demanding action against WFI chief Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh over sexual harassment charges. 

Meanwhile, Khap representatives from UP, Rajasthan and Haryana continue to reach here. The state president of Akhil Bhartiya Poonia Mahapanchayat, Rajasthan said that a decision has to be taken today (Sunday, May 21) regarding the wrestlers sitting at Jantar Mantar. He said that wrestlers are sitting at Jantar Mantar but the Modi government has not uttered a single word. 

Poonia Mahapanchayat spokesperson Ajay Bagi said that these are "white turbans". 

"We have faith in this khap for centuries. Whatever is decided will be in the interest of the country. It takes 15 years of penance, to make a wrestler, we lose our food and drink.” 

Bagi attacked PM Narendra Modi and said, “Modi ji, have our daughters become poison for you? You had said in Panipat itself that save daughter, educate daughter. Why are you doing this now?”