The ongoing protest against WFI chief Brij Bhushan Singh by top wrestlers saw a new development on May 8th as farmers joined the demonstration at Jantar Mantar, Delhi after breaking through police barricades.
To avoid any potential disturbances, authorities set up multiple barricades. However, on Monday, farmers breached the barricades to join the wrestlers who are calling for action against Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh, the Wrestling Federation of India chief and BJP MP, over accusations of sexual harassment.
In the video shared by ANI, one could see BKU members breaking barricades at the wrestlers’ protest.
“A group of farmers were escorted to Jantar Mantar . At entry barricades they were in a hurry to reach the dharna site in which some of them climbed the barricades which fell down & were removed by them. Police team kept the barricades at the back aside to facilitate their entry”, DCP New Delhi Pranav Tayal said.
“The protestors have reached the dharna site and the meeting is going on peacefully”, the senior police official said.
Only a day before, members of BKU (Ekta Ugrahan) including women, had organised a protest at the Tikri border after they were stopped by the police from entering the national capital. Even at that time, they had broken the barricades set up by the police.
Since April 23rd, Indian wrestlers, among them Olympic medalists Sakshi Malik, Bajrang Punia, and Vinesh Phogat, have been staging a sit-in at Jantar Mantar to protest against Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh, who has been accused of sexual harassment. Today marks the 15th day of their demonstration.
The development comes days after Samyukta Kisan Morcha declared its support for the wrestlers’ protest, which followed an alleged late-night scuffle at Jantar Mantar. The wrestlers even threatened to return their medals and awards. The SKM is a faction of the Samyukta Kisan Morcha, which led the year-long agitation against the recently-repealed farm laws.
Farmer leaders including BKU’s Rakesh Tikait and Samyukta Kisan Morcha’s Baldev Singh Sirsa have pledged their support to the protesting wrestlers.
According to a statement released by the SKM, prominent leaders from Delhi, Punjab, Haryana, and Uttar Pradesh will visit the protest site to show their support for the wrestlers who are demonstrating.
Wrestler protests
The wrestlers, including Bajrang Punia, Sakshi Malik, and Vinesh Phogat, have been protesting against the President of the Wrestling Federation of India Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh, claiming he sexually harassed female wrestlers. They are demanding the resignation and arrest of Singh.