One day after Samyukt Kisan Morcha (SKM), a body comprising several farmer unions that spearheaded the farmers’ protest against the now-repealed three farm laws, announced its support for the ongoing wrestlers’ protest at Jantar Mantar in Delhi, the police have embarked on beefing up the security in the area as well as in the border areas.
The SKM had announced on Saturday that it would hold nationwide protests in support of the protesting grapplers.
As per the statement from the SKM, several of the farm group leaders along with hundreds of farmers from Punjab, Haryana, Delhi and Uttar Pradesh will be joining the wrestlers at Jantar Mantar on Sunday as well as Monday.
Apart from the farmers’ organisation, Khap Panchayat leaders from the western region of Uttar Pradesh, Rajasthan and Haryana will also be joining the protesting wrestlers in Delhi. Khap Panchayat is a union of a few villages, mainly in India's north, though it exists in similar forms in the rest of the country.
As the members of various farmer organisation and khap panchayats joined the wrestlers at Jantar Mantar, Rio Olympic medalist Sakshee Malikkh sharing a video from the protest site, tweeting in Hindi: “Don't stop, don't be afraid! Make sure you win”.
Meanwhile, the farmers marching towards Delhi were stopped by the police at the Tikri border. After they were denied entry, they held a protest at the border itself, and some media reports suggest that the demonstrators even broke the barricades placed by the Delhi Police.
According to media reports, they were later allowed entry to the national capital.
The wrestlers will also be taking out a candle march at 7 p.m. (IST) and have made an appeal to their countrymen also to do the same in a show of support from wherever they are.
Wrestlers’ Protest at Jantar Mantar
Olympians and award-winning wrestlers have been staging a protest at New Delhi's Jantar Mantar since April 23 demanding the sacking and arrest of Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) President Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh.
The wrestlers accuse Singh of sexual misconduct against several female athletes.
This is the second time the grapplers are staging a protest against Singh. Earlier, they had conducted a rally against him in January this year. However, they called off the demonstration after they were assured of a free and fair probe against the WFI chief.