Wrestlers’ protest | Naresh Tikait announces mahapanchayat in Muzaffarnagar on Thursday

On May 30, when the protesting wrestlers gathered on the banks of the Ganga in Haridwar threatening to immerse their World and Olympic medals in the holy river, BKU president Naresh Tikait took the medals from them and sought five-day time to address their grievances.
| Photo Credit: ANI

BKU leader Naresh Tikait said a ‘mahapanchayat‘ will be held in Muzaffarnagar’s Soram village on Thursday (June 1) to discuss the ongoing protest by wrestlers against WFI chief Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh over sexual harassment charges.

Mr. Tikait, the head of Balyan khap, on Tuesday night said the matter will be discussed in detail in the mahapanchayat.

On a drama-filled Tuesday (May 30), some of India’s best 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, but refrained after being convinced by Khap and farmer leaders who sought five days to address their grievances.

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.

However, after spending an hour and 45 minutes, they returned after several khap and political leaders urged them not to take such an extreme step.

Mr. Tikait said several representatives of different khaps and their heads hailing from Uttar Pradesh, Haryana, Punjab Rajasthan and Delhi will be participating in the mahapanchayat to decide the next course of action in the wrestlers protest.

On May 28, the Delhi Police had detained the wrestlers and filed FIRs against them for violation of law and order.