Wrestlers reject government's compromise formula; ‘mahila mahapanchayat’ today

The protesting wrestlers claimed on Saturday that they were approached by the government to call off their 35-day sit-in but stopped short of agreeing to their core demand for the arrest of former Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) president Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh, forcing them to turn down the overture.

Addressing a night press conference after a day of hectic meetings with government representatives and khap leaders, the wrestlers also accused the government of using the police to detain their supporters arriving at Delhi's borders ahead of Sunday’s planned Mahila Mahapanchayat before the new parliament building that is being inaugurated.

"We have been approached by the government for a compromise but since our main demand of arresting Singh was not on the table, we decided to reject the offer. We are being put under constant pressure to call off the stir but we will take this fight to its bitter end,” two-time World Championships bronze medallist Vinesh Phogat said, breaking down before the media. Rio Olympics bronze medallist Sakshi Malik, seated next to her, was also in tears.

It was learnt that Haryana politician Kartikeya Sharma, made Rajya Sabha member last year by the Bharatiya Janata Party-Jannayak Janta Party (BJP-JJP) combine, held a closed-door meeting with the wrestlers on Saturday. He, on behalf of the government, agreed to a systemic clean-up of WFI, including the removal of Singh's family members holding key positions in the federation. Singh's arrest, though, remained a bone of contention.

“The wrestlers said if they agree for a compromise now, they won't be able to answer their supporters. The khaps were also of the view that the arrest of Singh is non-negotiable,” a source who attended the meeting said.

“Various other scenarios such as how to manage the crowd, how to react if the police resorts to violence and so on were also discussed."

The wrestlers will attend the 'Mahila Samman Mahapanchayat' in front of the new parliament building on Sunday. “We expect around 1,500-2,000 people, mainly women, to reach there. A lot of our supporters will reach Delhi by trains or buses late on Saturday or early Sunday morning. A lot of women village heads will be there. Police has put up barricades on Ghazipur, Tikri and Singhu borders. But even if we have 100 supporters, we will march,” one protesting wrestler said.

“Our supporters are being detained at the borders. Police has entered Gurudwara Sri Manji Sahib in Ambala where our supporters were staying and have started detaining them. We have enough videos and photos to back our claims. Still, the Mahila Samman Mahapanchayat will happen at all costs on Sunday," Phogat said.

Delhi Police filed a second status report — the first was filed on May 12 — in the Rouse Avenue court before Additional Chief Metropolitan Magistrate Harjeet Singh Jaspal. The court has ordered the police to share both their reports with the victims’ party. The next hearing is on June 27.

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