CHENNAI/CHANDIGARH: The pressure is mounting on the Centre to take action against the sidelined Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh. After portions of the FIR against Singh went public, members of India’s iconic World Cup-winning team of 1983 came out with a statement against the manhandling of the wrestlers and hoped their grievances would be heard. Later on Friday evening, ‘khap mahapanshayat’ set a June 9 deadline to arrest Singh.
The Class of 1983 issued a statement saying: “We are distressed and disturbed at the unseemly visuals of our champion wrestlers being manhandled. We are also most concerned that they are thinking of dumping their hard-earned medals into river Ganga.”
Bajrang Punia, Sakshi Malik and Vinesh Phogat, all of whom have been demanding Singh’s arrest for a couple of months were shoved and dragged during a protest march in New Delhi on Sunday. Their tents and belongings were forcibly removed from Jantar Mantar, their protest site on April 23. Left with no option, the wrestlers then went to Haridwar to immerse their medals in.
“Those medals have involved years of effort, sacrifice, determination, and grit and are not only their own but the nation’s pride and joy,” the Class of 1983 continued in their statement. “We urge them not to take any hasty decision in this matter and also fervently hope that their grievances are heard and resolved quickly. Let the law of the land prevail.”
In Kurukshetra, a bigger concern is brewing for the Centre. A ‘mahapanchayat’ was held to decide the future course of action. The farmer leaders had persuaded the wrestlers to abandon their plans to dump their medals. After the ‘mahapanchayat’, Bharatiya Kisan Union (BKU) leader Rakesh Tikait said Singh should be arrested. “We are giving the government time till June 9 to act on the demand, else the agitation will be intensified by holding panchayats across the country and the wrestlers will return to Jantar Mantar to protest.”
The representatives of various khaps and farmers’ outfits reached the Jat Dharamshala from different places, including Haryana, Punjab, Rajasthan and Uttar Pradesh. Tikait said the wrestlers are the country’s pride and all they are demanding is justice. He said the government should accede to the genuine demands of the wrestlers. Tikait said specific charges had been levelled against Singh and police must take immediate action.
Tikait also pointed out that even the International Olympic Committee (IOC) had condemned the manner in which the wrestlers were treated by the Delhi police on Sunday. Tikait said even though Singh is making statements, there is nothing from the government’s side as yet. There was a scuffle after the meeting as well. The Khap leaders claimed that the government had sent its people to disturb the meeting, said sources.
‘Distressed, disturbed’
The Class of 1983 issued a statement saying: “We are distressed and disturbed at the unseemly visuals of our champion wrestlers being manhandled. We are also most concerned that they are thinking of dumping their hard-earned medals into river Ganga.” The statement further said, “Those medals have involved years of effort, sacrifice, determination, and grit and are not only their own but the nation’s pride and joy,” the Class of 1983 continued in their statement. “We urge them not to take any hasty decision in this matter and also fervently hope that their grievances are heard and resolved quickly. Let the law of the land prevail.”