Maneka Gandhi seeks justice for wrestlers as khaps up ante against WFI chief
Top wrestlers Sakshi Malik, Bajrang Punia and Vinesh Phogat relented to throw their medals into the Ganga after khaps and farm leaders sought five days’ time to address their grievances.
Published: 02nd June 2023 08:08 AM | Last Updated: 02nd June 2023 08:08 AM | A+A A-
Farm leader Rakesh Tikait addresses a Khap 'Mahapanchayat' organised over the ongoing protest by wrestlers against WFI President in Muzaffarnagar, Thursday, June 1, 2023. (Photo | PTI)
NEW DELHI: A day after BJP’s Lok Sabha MP from Maharashtra, Pritam Munde came out in support of the protesting wrestlers, another party MP Maneka Gandhi joined her colleague in demanding justice for the grapplers in their fight against WFI chief Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh over sexual harassment charges.
“I am sure they will get justice at the end of it,” Gandhi told the media in Srinagar.
On Tuesday, top wrestlers such as Sakshi Malik and Bajrang Punia and Vinesh Phogat went to Haridwar along with their supporters to throw their medals into the Ganga. However, they relented after khaps and farm leaders sought five days’ time to address their grievances. Delhi Police has filed two FIRs against Singh. While the first FIR relates to allegations by a minor wrestler and has been registered under the POCSO Act, the second is related to outraging modesty.
Meanwhile, a Mahapanchayat of Khaps that met in Muzaffarnagar in UP on Thursday decided to meet President Droupadi Murmu. “Our representative will meet the President and the government side. Khap and these women (protesting wrestlers) won’t be defeated,” said Bharatiya Kisan Union (BKU) spokesman Rakesh Tikait. Tikat said the final decision on the wrestlers’ protest would be taken at a meeting in Haryana’s Kurukshetra on Friday.
The Delhi Police has beefed up security at borders following Samyukta Kisan Morcha’s call for a nationwide protest. The SKM in a memorandum to President Murmu on Thursday urged him to allow wrestlers to continue their protest at Jantar Mantar.
I belong to BJP, but BJP is not my party: Pankaja
Former Maharashtra minister and BJP national secretary Pankaja Munde on Thursday said that she belongs to the BJP but the party doesn’t belong to her. Pankaja’s statement came a day after her sister and BJP MP Pritam Munde backed the protesting wrestlers.
