Wrestler Vinesh Phogat joined the protesting farmers at the Shambhu border between Punjab and Haryana on Saturday morning, expressing her solidarity by stating that she was the daughter of a farmer and her family had experienced the daily struggles faced by farmers.
“To protect crops and future generations, I stand with the families of farmers and labourers,” Phogat declared, as hundreds of farmers marked the 200th day of their protest, demanding several reforms, including a legal assurance of Minimum Support Price (MSP) for crops. She emphasized that farmers should be listened to and should receive their rights.
“We are citizens of this country, and if someone raises an issue, it should be heard. Not everything should be associated with caste or religion,” Phogat added.
“They came from Bhartiya Kisan Union (Shaheed Bhagat Singh)-Haryana, BKU Ekta (Azad), BKU (Krantikari), Kisan Mazdoor Sangharsh Committee, and Rajasthan Gramin Kisan Sangharsh Samiti. I will never forget their backing in the wrestlers’ fight, and I sincerely thank them. I will always stand strong with the farmers and labourers of this country,” she stated.
Phogat was honoured by several farmer union leaders, including Sarwan Singh Pandher, coordinator of the Kisan Mazdoor Morcha (KMM); Amarjeet Singh Morhi from BKU (Shaheed Bhagat Singh); Tejveer Singh, spokesperson for BKU (Shaheed Bhagat Singh); and Surjit Singh Phul from BKU (Krantikari), among others.
On her birthday, Sunday, August 25, Indian wrestler Vinesh Phogat was honoured with a gold medal by the Sarvkhap Panchayat in Haryana. Vinesh had a heartbreak at the Paris Olympics when she was disqualified from the gold medal match against the USA’s Sarah Hildebrandt. She was 100g over the 50 kg weight limit on the morning of the match.
