Olympic medalist wrestler Bajrang Punia announced on Sunday (June 4) that wrestlers will soon have their own 'Mahapanchayat', speaking at a gathering attended by former J&K Governor Satya Pal Malik and RLD Chief Jayant Chaudhary. Malik, who has recently been a vocal critic of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, chastised the central government for handling the wrestlers' demands and urged people to vote the government out in the upcoming Lok Sabha election.
Punia asked speakers at a 'Sarv Samaj Samarthan Panchayat' in support of the wrestlers in Mundlana, Sonipat district, not to announce any decision, saying grapplers will call a Mahapanchayat in 3-4 days.
"We will hold one Mahapanchayat and will give a call for that. We will decide on the venue. We want to bring everyone together for that Panchayat, we don't want us to be divided," he was quoted as saying by news agency PTI.
He stated that their fight was not for a specific caste, but for honour and respect. "If we remain divided, we cannot win." Punia is one of several Olympic and World Championship medalists, including Sakshi Malik, Vinesh Phogat, and Sangeeta Phogat, who have been protesting the arrest of BJP MP and Wrestling Federation of India president Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh.
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The khaps decided on Thursday to send a 5-7 member delegation to President Droupadi Murmu, and on Friday, they gave the government until June 9 to arrest former Wrestling Federation of India president Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh, who is accused of sexual harassment by at least seven women wrestlers, including a minor. The khaps also demanded that all charges against the wrestlers who were protesting be dropped.
Punia made his first public appearance since Tuesday's high drama in Haridwar, where she, 2016 Rio Games bronze medalist Sakshi Malik, and two-time World Championships bronze medalist Vinesh Phogat were persuaded not to immerse their medals in the Ganga.