Delhi minister Gopal Rai on Wednesday said a ‘mahapanchayat’ will be organised at Jantar Mantar on May 7 to chalk out the next course of action for the wrestlers’ protest against WFI chief Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh over sexual harassment allegations.
Rai and his cabinet colleague Saurabh Bharadwaj visited Jantar Mantar along with representatives of 360 villages of Delhi, including Narela, Bawana, Mundka, Najafgarh, Matiala, Chhatarpur and Bijwasan, to extend support to the grapplers.
Rai, also the AAP Delhi convener, said a panchayat will be held in all villages of Delhi on May 4, 5, and 6, to raise awareness and get support for the protest. Then a mahapanchayat will be held on May 7.
“We all know the pride of the country, our players, have been protesting in Delhi for 10 days. The honourable prime minister did not have time to call them and talk to them,” he claimed.
“If the government does not discuss the demands of all the parties in a responsible manner, the mahapanchayat will declare the movement’s next plan of action on May 7,” he said.
Rai said he wants to “invite” BJP leaders to the mahapanchayat. “The mahapanchayat is not of any one party but is open to any party or organisation which wants to join this protest,” he said.
Addressing the gathering, Bharadwaj said, “The people of these villages send their daughters to bring fame to the country. They send them in the hope that the president of the Wrestling Federation of India will play the role of a father to their daughters and their daughters will get respect in coaching and camps. But if the same people dishonour their daughters will any family tolerate it?” he asked.
“We cannot divide this movement on caste or regional lines. We all have come here for these daughters who bring laurels to the country. Till Brij Bhushan is not sent to jail, we will sit here in support of our daughters,” he said
BJP MP Parvesh Sahib Singh Verma earlier alleged the AAP has plans to “hijack” the wrestlers protest.