In Haryana panchayat, khap gives Govt a week: Arrest WFI chief or we go to Delhi

Haryana Home Minister and senior BJP leader Anil Vij, meanwhile, “advised” the wrestlers to “come out of the clutches of Opposition leaders”. He told the media, “There is a mahapanchayat somewhere or a dharna…players should come out of the clutches of these opposition parties. They have the right to take part in the agitation, but players should not get sacrificed for their [Opposition’s] political interests.”

Friday’s khap panchayat was held at Jat Dharamshala in Kurukshetra to deliberate on the next steps in the ongoing agitation by the wrestlers. It had representatives of various khaps and farmer organisations from Haryana, Punjab, Rajasthan and Uttar Pradesh.

“The wrestlers are the country’s pride and they are demanding justice,” Tikait told the media afterward. “The government will have to bow down before their legitimate demands. Even the International Olympic Committee has condemned the manner in which they were treated by Delhi Police, calling it extremely disturbing.”

Stating that the government has a week’s time until June 9, Tikait, a leader of the powerful Bharatiya Kisan Union, said, “The government can hold talks. We have also spoken with the children [the wrestlers]— they are completely demoralised. We will not compromise on anything less than his [Brij Bhushan’s] arrest. Until he is arrested…if any mishap occurs with these children, it will be his [Singh’s] responsibility.”

Tikait claimed that even families of the protesting wrestlers are receiving threats. “Their security cover should be raised, or else we will take them to Delhi on June 9,” he warned.

Reminding the government that panchayats were held across the country during the earlier agitation by farmers against the three farm laws, which were eventually withdrawn by the Centre, Tikait said, “We will do the same this time — we will hold panchayats across the country. We have to prepare for the agitation. A panchayat is scheduled for June 11 at Shamli (western UP). After that, panchayats will be held on June 15-18 in Haridwar (Uttarakhand). If the matter is not resolved even by then, we will hold panchayats across the country.”

BKU leader Gurnam Singh Chaduni has called a ‘khel mahapanchayat’ at Mundlana village, in Haryana’s Sonipat district, on Sunday. Among others, former J&K governor Satyapal Malik, RLD party chief and farmer leader Jayant Chaudhary and other top farmers’ union leaders are expected to join the event.

Tikait, meanwhile, issued a warning for political leaders and said they will keep submitting memorandums. “Until this matter is resolved, the leaders [politicians] will be questioned by the people…people will keep asking them about the status of this case. The agitation will continue peacefully,” he said.

Haryana minister Vij, who had earlier come out in support of the wrestlers and said that he is ready to take their voice to the highest level, if required, on Friday said: “The government is listening to the players. They [wrestlers] had demanded formation of a committee, registration of an FIR — those have been done.”

Calling the wrestlers “national heroes”, Vij, however, said the issue has now taken a bit of a political turn.