The little-known Rajput Mahasabha organised protests in support of Wrestling Federation of India chief Brijbhushan Sharan Singh in Muzaffarnagar and Saharanpur on Monday and Tuesday, offering caste solidarity to the embattled BJP parliamentarian facing charges of sexual harassment from women wrestlers.
The Mahasabha, which has been largely dormant, suddenly got activated and claimed that the 16-day-old dharna against Singh by top women wrestlers at Jantar Mantar in Delhi was being held “to insult a Kshatriya”.
“Many people, including the women wrestlers and farmer leaders Naresh Tikait and Rakesh Tikait, have been conspiring against Brijbhushan because he is a Kshatriya,” Rajendra Pudir, Muzaffarnagar district president of the Rajput Mahasabha, said.
“We want the dharna at Jantar Mantar to stop immediately; else we will start a nationwide protest against them (agitating wrestlers).”
The Tikait brothers are leaders of the Bharatiya Kisan Union and have expressed support for the wrestlers’ protest.
The women wrestlers, joined by some male colleagues, have been on dharna at Jantar Mantar since April 23, demanding that Singh be suspended from the WFI and arrested. The Delhi police, who report to the Centre, have registered an FIR at the Supreme Court’s prodding but made no arrest, saying an inquiry is on.
The wrestlers have accused the Centre of mounting pressure on them through the police to withdraw their protest.
Brijbhushan, BJP Lok Sabha member from Kaiserganj in Uttar Pradesh, has denied the charges. He has refused to resign unless asked by Prime Minister Narendra Modi or Union home minister Amit Shah, who have maintained a deafening silence on the matter.
The wrestlers’ protest has attracted support from various individuals and groups, including several social activists from Varanasi, Modi’s parliamentary constituency.
“More than 50 people from Varanasi have joined the protest at Jantar Mantar,” Saurabh Singh, a social worker from Varanasi who campaigns for the purification of the Ganga’s waters, said.
“Brijbhushan is not only harmful to the wrestlers, who have brought international glory to India, but also to the nation’s image. He should be put behind bars immediately.”
