Wrestlers' Protests: Sports Minister Urges Patience As Khap Mahapanchayat To Be Held In Muzaffarnagar Today

Union Sports Minister Anurag Thakur on Wednesday (31 May) urged the protesting wrestlers to have faith in the Delhi Police investigation and wait until it is completed. His statement came a day after wrestlers' threat attempting to immerse their medals in the Ganga river in Haridwar, which they did not follow through after intervention of farm leaders.

Naresh Tikait, National President of the Bharatiya Kisan Union (BKU), convinced wrestlers to delay the immersion of their medals for five days. He subsequently arranged a meeting of khap leaders to be held today (1 June, Thursday) at Sauram village in Muzaffarnagar, which is expected to be attended by leaders of around 30-35 khaps from Punjab, Haryana, Uttarakhand, and Uttar Pradesh.

Reportedly, Tikait's appeal has worried some BJP leaders in Western UP as they believe it may spark protests in the region, since the protests have till now remained limited to Delhi and Haryana.

Seven female wrestlers, including a minor, have accused Brij Bhushan Singh, the erstwhile Wrestling Federation of India President and a BJP MP from UP, of sexual harassment and criminal intimidation. Two FIRs, one under the POCSO Act, have been filed against him by the Delhi Police on April 28th.

Brij Bhushan Singh denied the accusations against him, stating that he will take his own life if any allegation against him is corroborated. Meanwhile, he urged those who have concrete evidence to submit it to the court. He further stated that if the judiciary rules against him, he is prepared to accept the consequences.

Sports Minister Thakur advised wrestlers to wait for the conclusion of an investigation by the Delhi Police, in an address to reporters in New Delhi yesterday (31 May, Wednesday). He emphasized his trust in the police's diligence and urged athletes to remain patient. Thakur also pleaded with wrestlers not to take any action that might harm sports and their fellow athletes.

Earlier yesterday, officers from the Delhi Police had conveyed that a status report will be filed and presented in court within the upcoming weeks.

After Tikait urged a mahapanchayat, several BJP leaders from the area, including the head of the party's western UP unit, traveled to the capital and met with a Union minister. Additionally, a BJP leader from western UP spoke with a senior Haryana BJP leader and asked them to bring up the matter with central leadership.

Notably, BJP Hisar MP Brijendra Singh has expressed solidarity with the wrestlers currently protesting against the government. He empathized with their hard work and the risk of losing medals from major international competitions and called the situation "heartbreaking." Singh previously had also raised concerns regarding the issue.

Concerns have also risen among some BJP leaders in Haryana regarding the potential political repercussions of the ongoing protest just ahead of the Assembly and Lok Sabha polls next year.

A Union minister from the region had reportedly contacted the wrestlers on Wednesday, advising against the act of 'immersing' their medals in the Ganga. Following the minister's call and Tikait's plea, the wrestlers had changed their mind.