That 2021 Feeling: ‘Farmer Groups’ Rush To Wrestlers’ Support At Jantar Mantar; Reports Of Ruckus At Site

Amidst heightened security and incoming protesters at Jantar Mantar, the Bhartiya Kisan Union (BKU) and Samyukta Kisan Morcha (SKM) today joined the wrestlers at the protest site, reportedly breaking the police barricades set up for protection.

As per ANI, the farmers were being escorted by the police to Jantar Mantar; however, without caution, the cohort of farmers broke past the barricades to join the protesters’ group.

The Delhi Police has further issued calls for appeal to abide by law and cooperate as the forces continue to facilitate entry for protesters.

Notably, the farmer unions, known for their protests in 2021 against the farm laws, had announced support for the protesting wrestlers recently through their spokesperson Rakesh Tikait.

The protesting farmers, including large groups of women are reported to have poured in groups of vehicles from Punjab and Haryana, to express solidarity with the wrestlers protesting at the site. 

The Delhi Police has heightened security arrangements at the Jantar Mantar and in border areas of the city. Vehicles entering Delhi are being checked and pickets have been increased at Delhi-Ghazipur, Tikri and Singhu borders.

BKU (Ekta Ugrahan), the collective active during farmers’ protests of 2021, and led by the communist leader Joginder Singh Ugrahan, has also announced support for the wrestlers and joined the protesters. 

Interestingly, amidst the support pouring in for the protesting wrestlers from the opposition parties and farmer unions, top wrestler Bajrang Punia had issued calls to not politicise their protest and its cause.

However, with the agitation gaining a character increasingly like the ‘farmers’ agitation’, not to mention the involvement of leaders from a particular community of Haryana, Punjab and Western UP, some say that the protest is actively becoming an anti-government platform. 

While the protesters claim lack of action against Brij Bhushan Singh due to no arrest so far, the Delhi Police has already registered two FIRs against the WFI president.

The protesting wrestlers have set a 21 May deadline to the Centre for accepting their demands. 

Also Read: Wrestlers’ Protest: Who Was Pointing Angrily At P T Usha's Face At Jantar Mantar?