Farmer leaders have given ultimatum to Centre to either Wrestling Federation of India(WFI) chief Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh or get ready to face larger protests.
The farmer leaders call has come in support of protesting wrestlers, who have alleged Singh of sexual harassment including groping, touching and pulling T-shirts of women wrestlers.
"We have taken a decision that the government must address the grievances of wrestlers and he (Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh) should be arrested. Otherwise, we will go with the wrestlers to Jantar Mantar in Delhi on June 9 and hold panchayats across the nation," farmer leader Rakesh Tikait was quoted by NDTV as having said.
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"The cases against the wrestlers should be withdrawn and the arrest of Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh must happen," Tikait said.
It mentioned farmer groups held a "khap mahapanchayat" in Uttar Pradesh and a series of protests in Punjab and Haryana yesterday in solidarity with the wrestlers.
The wrestlers were allegedly manhandled by Delhi Police personnel when they tried to march towards the new parliament building after its inauguration by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday.
Olympic and World Champion wrestlers Sakshi Malik, Vinesh Phogat, Bajrang Punia and Sangeeta Phogat are among those protesting against the outgoing WFI chief.
Sports Minister Anurag Thakur has assured of justice to the wrestlers, who, however, have not agreed on nothing less than the arrest of the BJP MP.
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The Delhi Police have filed two FIRs (first information reports) based on the wrestlers' complaints. One of them is over allegations by a minor wrestler and has been filed under the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act.
