On the day the new Parliament building is to be inaugurated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on May 28, protesting wrestlers will participate in a ‘Mahila Mahapanchayat’ outside the building, reported Hindustan Times On 21 May.
According to reports, the decision was taken at a mahapanchayat convened by the Meham Chaubisi Khap in Meham town of Haryana’s Rohtak district.
Earlier, a fortnight ago, wrestlers had warned the government that they would take some ‘big decisions’ if former Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) president Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh was not arrested by May 21.
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“We had announced that if Singh is not arrested in 15 days, we will take some major decisions today. It has been decided that a Mahila Mahapanchayat will be held outside the new Parliament building on May 28 and wrestlers will participate in it,” HT quoted Tokyo Olympics bronze medalist Bajrang Punia as saying.
Women from Haryana’s Rohtak, Jhajjar, Narnaul, Faridabad, Rewari, Charkhi Dadri and Gurugram districts are likely to attend the scheduled congregation.
“We urge women across India to join us. This is the fight of our daughters. Punia said, soon we will request women on social media to reach Delhi by next Sunday.
As per details, the mahapanchayat was attended by representatives of farmers’ organisations, women’s groups and khaps. Apart from Khap Panchayat leaders, Bharatiya Kisan Union (BKU) leader Rakesh Tikait also participated in the mahapanchayat. “The government will try to press charges against the wrestlers, but we are ready for a long fight,” he said.
Khap leaders extended their support to the wrestlers, who decided to take out a candlelight march to India Gate on May 23 to mark one month of their ongoing protest.
“It is a matter of shame that the women of this country have to sit on the footpath to demand justice and yet there is no action from the government. Why is one man (Singh) so important to this government? I feel there are two different laws in this country, one for common citizens and the other for powerful people like Singh.”
He is aware that in the last one week, wrestlers have taken out three marches at various places in and around Connaught Place, apart from paying respects at Rajghat.
Referring to top wrestlers being denied entry to the Arun Jaitley Stadium on Saturday, Punia said, “Why do we need permission for this? If the Delhi Police asks us for permission, we will follow it. We made a rule yesterday.” Wasn’t broken.” Or so, but were treated like criminals.”
“We were not carrying any posters or banners. We wore white T-shirts with slogans printed in support of the wrestlers, but we are free to wear whatever we want. If someone wants to watch the CSK-DC match wearing a Mumbai Indians jersey, won’t you let him in?”
“We have nothing against the police officers. But the government has put us in cold storage. We wrote to all women MPs of BJP but no one contacted us. It’s a shame,” Punia said.
The next hearing on the wrestlers’ petition is on May 27 in the magistrate’s court of Delhi.
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