The Soram Sarv khap panchayat on Thursday reserved its decision after the meeting in Muzaffarnagar on the wrestlers' protest. A decision will be taken at the meeting of the khap panchayat meet on Friday in Kurukshetra, Haryana, sources said. Amid the ongoing intense protest by wrestlers against wrestling body chief Brij Bhushan, the 'mahapanchayat' was convened by Bharatiya Kisan Union leader Naresh Tikait to discuss the future strategy of the agitation.
“This mahapanchayat was called for a discussion [on wrestlers' protest] and a decision will be announced tomorrow in Kurukshetra,” Naresh Tikait said. Farmers' leader Rakesh Tikait said: "A khap representative will meet the President and government representatives. The khap and these girls [wrestlers] will not be defeated."
On Tuesday, protesting wrestlers accompanied by hundreds of supporters gathered on the banks of the Ganga in Haridwar, threatening to immerse their World and Olympic medals in the holy river. However, they refrained from doing so after being convinced by khap and farmer leaders, led by Naresh Tikait, who sought five days to get their grievances addressed.
Olympic medallists Sakshi Malik, Bajrang Punia and Asian Games gold medallist Vinesh Phogat went to Har ki Pauri on Tuesday to protest the inaction against the Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) chief who has allegedly sexually harassed several women grapplers.
Farmer leader Naresh Tikait said that the BJP-led Central government is saving WFI chief Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh after he intervened and convinced the protesting wrestlers to not immerse their medals in River Ganga while seeking five days time.
Speaking to ANI, Tikait said, "The entire machinery of the Indian government has been engaged to save one man [WFI chief Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh]."
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(With inputs from Ravi Kant.)