Yogi from Nepal, 80-Yr-Old Farmer: People Driving Wrestlers' Protest For a Month

The wrestlers have stayed put at Jantar Mantar to demand the arrest of WFI chief Brij Bhushan Sharan.

(Photo: Eshwar/The Quint)

One month on, Olympians and wrestlers have stayed put at Delhi's Jantar Mantar to demand the arrest of Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) chief and Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) MP Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh over allegations of sexual harassment by a few female wrestlers.

While demanding Singh's arrest, wrestlers Bajrang Punia, Vinesh Phogat, Sakshi Malik and Sangita Phogat have garnered political support for the past one month from a range of political parties including the Congress and the Aam Aadmi Party. Other than political parties, khap panchayats, farmers, sports personalities, and activists keep pouring in at the site daily.

To mark one month of the protest, the wrestlers will be carrying out a candle march to Delhi's India Gate on Monday, 22 May, to highlight the fact that their demands have still not been met. 

Most protesters are irked over alleged attempts by supporters of Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh to give a caste angle to the agitation by claiming that the protests were organised by Jaat wrestlers to ensure dominance in the sport as Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh belongs to the Thakur caste.

After a late-night altercation with the Delhi police on 4 May at the protest site that left one person injured, Bajrang Punia, too,  said that attempts were being made to not just give a caste angle to the protests but also divide the wrestlers on basis of caste.

Through the course of 25 days, scores of people from across the social spectrum of the country have visited the protest site in solidarity. There are several who are determined to stay put till Brij Bhushan Singh is arrested. 

"Jahan chaanv mile wahan so jata hun (I nap wherever there's shade)," said Girdhari Lal, 80, a member of the Rakesh Tikait-led Bharatiya Kisan Union, who has been camping at the site since 26 March. A wrestler-turned-farmer, he had a few things to say to Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

"The women of my village, my sisters across the country voted for Prime Minister Modi because they believe he is a good man. They did not vote for a PM who is being perceived as supporting assaulters. Those trying to give this protest a caste angle, I want to tell them that these are the PM's granddaughters you are talking about. He is the 'Chaudhary' of the country right now and these girls have made the nation proud," he said.  

"If he sides by the accused, his 56-inch chest will reduce to 25 inches. But if he does right by the girls, it will be 100 inches," he added.

Professor Atmanand Deshwal, 73) spokesperson of the Deshwal Khap, frequents the protests. He regularly comes with around 25-50 people by train from Ladhor village in Haryana's Rohtak

"The issue is serious. These are the daughters of our country, they are the nation's pride. They are demanding justice, legal action against the person responsible, and for the government to have a conscience. This government is sleeping on their demands. PM Modi must be worried about his votes otherwise there would  have been immediate action against him,” said Deshwal.

"I didn't know anybody when I arrived here. But I have made lots of friends now," said Vinay Ramkishore, 25, who came to Delhi from Maharashtra’s Nagpur to support the wrestlers all by himself.

Vinay teaches mathematics as a private tutor to class 11 and 12 students.

"Many tried to give it a caste angle. I am here to show that protesters are not just from one caste. Eventually, people from multiple castes reached and that argument was discarded," he said.

"It is so shameful that despite POCSO Act being invoked, the FIR was registered only after the Supreme Court intervened. Brij Bhushan Singh deserves to be punished. The committee they have formed is completely farce and biased,” he said.

"I have my parents, two elder brothers and a younger sister back at home. They were supportive of my decision to leave home for the wrestlers," Ramkishore said.

Yogi Sahilnath, 65, a yogi who runs an ashram to make herbal medicines in Nepal's Kathmandu, visited the site on 9 May in support of the wrestlers.

"I have come to support our daughters here. We don't believe in any caste. We are all human beings and we should behave as such. I saw hat they were going through in TV. They have won medals for us and I will never believe the claims that they are lying," he said.

"Aaj sadak par kyun baithi hai beti Hindustan ki, aaj pariksha hai naari ke iss saahas samman ki (Why are India's daughters on the streets, why are they having to put their courage and dignity to test?)": This poem by Anand Krantivardhan is recited by Neelima, 60, a member of a theatre group called Nishant Natyamanch at the protest site every time she visits.

"Our group plans to visit several times here. It is good to see the support of so many common people to the wrestlers. We come here to sing for them. We also want to perform a play here in a few days," Neelima said.

Krishan Singh, 35, a farmer from Mangalpur village in Haryana's Jind, arrived with 25 other people in support of the wrestlers on 4 May.

"Hum yahan roz paani ki sewa karte hain (I take care of the drinking water situation here)," he said. He not only distributes water bottles but also ensures refilling of water dispensers at the site.

"What's happening with the wrestlers is wrong. We only want justice," he said, before rushing to refill another dispenser.

Gopal Krishna, an IIT Kanpur graduate from 2006, arrived with his luggage on 9 May to live at the protest site. Hailing from Bihar's Begusarai, he now lives in Gurugram.

"If Olympians are treated like this, what are common people supposed to expect? I have old parents at home but my father gave me his blessings when I left home to support the protesters,” he said. 

Food arrangements at the site are mostly outsourced since the number of people coming out in support is uncertain every day. Protesters take turns to sit in a row to eat food and then serve t to others at one corner of the protest site.

DS Bhindra and his team of 10 people from Delhi have been providing free food and beverages at the protest site daily. 

"Our organisation is called 'Singh is King'. People donate groceries such as sugar and  flour. We feed about 100-150 people here daily. Even when there are more people on some days like the day when farmers came to show support, we ensure nobody goes hungry or thirsty," he said.

Lokesh Kataria, 32, a member of the National Bhim Army, came with 10 people to support the wrestlers on behalf of the OBC community. 

"These women have won medals for the country. Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh is being protected by the BJP. If the party cared, they would have done right by the protesters. PM Modi only gives speeches about India's daughters in other countries. But daughters of wrestlers and farmers are facing injustice today and there is no action. Democracy is being murdered in this country," Kataria said.