Wrestlers reciprocate after farmers backed them in their Jantar Mantar protest

On Monday, wrestler Bajrang Punia came in person to support the protesting farmers at the “kisan mahapanchayat” in Kurukshetra. On June 11, wrestler Vinesh Phogat had visited Patiala to extend support to protesting farmers outside the PSPCL office in Patiala.

On May 25, wrestler Sakshi Malik had addressed a farmers’ gathering in Mandi Gobindgarh in Punjab and even met Akal Takht Jathedar Giani Harpreet Singh at Takht Damdama Sahib in Talwandi Sabo. She was accompanied by her husband.

As wrestlers have been protesting against BJP MP and Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) chief Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh over sexual harassment allegations, they are also getting involved in farming issues of Punjab and Haryana.

“Farmer unions of Punjab and Haryana have always been supporting the wrestlers who are protesting for a cause. We had visited them at Jantar Mantar. On May 28, woman farmers were heading towards Delhi but they were detained on the way,” said Jagmohan Singh Patiala, general secretary of BKU Dakaunda, a constituent member of Samyukta Kisan Morcha (SKM).

He said, “We welcome the wrestlers for supporting us and understanding the issues of farmers. It is a subject related to everybody, we are thankful to the wrestlers for empathising with the farming community, which is always exploited by governments.”

Jagmohan Singh said, “SKM will hold a meeting on Wednesday regarding the farmers’ issues. We also condemn the police repression on SKM (non-political) members on Tuesday morning.”

Narain Dutt from Inqlaabi Manch Punjab said, “Our wrestler daughters had staged protests at Jantar Mantar. We visited them regularly to support them. They do realise that farmers understand their issues well and we are glad that they too are understanding the problems of farmers. Their struggle is now every Punjab villager’s struggle.”

Manjit Singh Dhaner, president of breakaway group of BKU Dakaunda, said, “Our union was the first one from Punjab to reach at Jantar Mantar in April. Afterwards several other unions from Punjab, Haryana and UP followed suit. Wrestlers have not been given justice till now and we will be always there to help them in their struggle. It’s really brave of them for openly coming out against the government and supporting us too.”