Khaps, farmers demand SC probe as protests against WFI chief go on

Rohtak/Jind: After India’s top wrestlers Vinesh Phogat, Bajrang Punia, Sangeeta Phogat, Sonam Malik, and Anshu Malik protested in Delhi to accuse Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) president Brij Bhushan Sharan of sexual harassment, Haryana’s khap panchayats and farmer unionists from the Sanyukt Kisan Morcha (SKM) called for assigning the inquiry to a sitting judge of the Supreme Court.
The Phogat khap on Thursday protested in various districts of Haryana to seek action against Sharan. They accused the state and central governments of making false claims of protecting the daughters of India. The khap said: “The daughters who bring sporting glory to the country face sexual exploitation under the BJP-run governments.” The SKM burnt an effigy of the WFI president in Bhiwani district, besides Jind’s Uchana town, and raised slogans against the NDA (National Democratic Alliance) government. It said Prime Minister Narendra Modi should take appropriate action against Sharan or the agitation will continue.
Azad Palwan of the SKM’s Jind unit claimed that the front will raise this issue at its mega rally to be held on Republic Day. He said: Two prominent functionaries of the BJP governments, first Haryana minister of state Sandeep Singh and now Brij Bhushan Sharan of the WFI, face similar charges of harassing the women players.” Woman activist Sikkim Nain said: “If the charges are true, it will be an unfortunate chapter in the history of Indian sport. Only a sitting judge of the Supreme Court can be trusted to hold a fair inquiry.”