Khaps vow to get 'justice' for wrestlers, say will meet Prez

Around 50 khaps or clan-based outfits in India have decided to support the ongoing protest by the country's top wrestlers. Read more at:https://www.magzter.com/stories/newspaper/Hindustan-Times/KHAPS-VOW-TO-GET-JUSTICE-FOR-WRESTLERS-SAY-WILL-MEET-PREZ

- S Raju and Shantanu Srivastava

Representatives of around 50 khaps or clan-based outfits met in Muzaffarnagar on Thursday and decided to support an ongoing protest by India’s top wrestlers, announcing that they will meet President Droupadi Murmu to press for action even as the Union government reiterated that it was handling the stir sensitively.

Called by Bharatiya Kisan Union (BKU) chief Naresh Tikait, the meeting went on for roughly three hours and took a slew of other decisions that will be announced at a “mahapanchayat” in Haryana’s Kurukshetra on Friday.

“Representatives of the khaps will meet the President and the government in support of the wrestlers and the fight will continue till they get justice,” BKU leader Rakesh Tikait said. “The wrestlers won laurels for the country and their only caste is the ‘tiranga’ (Tricolour). Now the society will fight for them,” added Rakesh Tikait.

The developments came two days after Naresh Tikait convinced Tokyo Olympics bronze medallist Bajrang Punia, Rio Games bronze medallist Sakshi Malik, and double World Championship medallist Vinesh Phogat — they have 45 senior international medals between them — to hold off on immersing their medals in the Ganga amid high drama in Haridwar, and asked for five days to fulfil their demands.