Amidst the ongoing protests by wrestlers at Jantar Mantar, a video of Vinesh Phogat claiming supremacy of the Khap Panchayat over other institutions is going viral on social media.
The video was initially shared on Twitter on Thursday (May 4) by a social media influencer named Ravi Bhadoria. In the video, the Indian wrestler Vinesh Phogat was heard saying, “Our elders, who represent the Khap Panchayat, have been making decisions before the High Court and the Supreme Court.”
“So whatever the Khap Panchayat decides, we will adhere to it,” she announced. The attempt by the Indian wrestler to suggest that Khap Panchayat can somehow have the same binding, legal jurisprudence as the higher courts has now stirred a controversy.
बात सिर्फ बृजभूषण शरण सिंह जी की होती तब भी ठीक था, हमें पता था वो अकेले भी निपट लेंगे।
— Ravi Bhadoria (@ravibhadoria) May 4, 2023
लेकिन तुमने तो विपक्ष की गोद में बैठकर मोदी-योगी पूरी भाजपा और सरकार के खिलाफ ही मोर्चा खोल दिया…
उड़ता तीर ले लिया मित्र अब भुगतना पड़ेगा। @BajrangPunia pic.twitter.com/8ZKRi9gPWD
In a longer version of the video, Vinesh Phogat was heard saying that she respects the decision of the Supreme Court and is exploring all legal options. After she said this, she went on to talk about the Khap and elders making the decision before the Supreme Court, which they will adhere to.
On Thursday (May 4), the Supreme Court wrapped up the petition filed by three women wrestlers after considering the fact that the Delhi Police has registered an FIR against Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) president Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh over alleged sexual harassment.
The bench comprising Chief Justice of India DY Chandrachud, Justice PS Narsimsha, and Justice JB Pardiwala stated that the plea had been filed by the wrestlers seeking registration of an FIR against Singh. It noted that the purpose of the plea had been served with Delhi Police registering an FIR in the case.
Meanwhile, the Khap Panchayat has vowed to join the demonstration of the protesting wrestlers from May 7, 2023. Last month, the members of the Khap from Haryana, Delhi and Uttar Pradesh threatened to call a bandh (strike) if the demands of the protestors are not met.
“All khap leaders held a meeting and decided to wait for the Supreme Court’s decision before chalking out their further course of action,” the coordinator of Sarv Khap Panchayat Om Prakash Dhankar had said.
It must be mentioned that Khap Panchayats have often been in the news for the wrong reasons, including attempts to declare inter-caste marriages between consenting adults ‘illegal’ and involvement in honour killings.
The Background of the Controversy
On April 23, ace wrestlers Sakshi Malik, Vinesh Phogat and Bajrang Punia launched a second round of protests against Wrestling Federation of India chief Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh, alleging he sexually harassed hundreds of female wrestlers.
The first round of protests took place in January this year. It was called off after Sports Minister Anurag Thakur formed a committee to investigate the matter.Following the fresh wrestlers protest, Delhi Police filed FIRs against Singh based on the complaints of seven athletes.
The entry of politicians in the protests and slogans like ‘Modi teri kabar khudegi’ have raised concerns over the actual motive behind the protests. In other news, the AAP-led Delhi government has announced that Punia will be appointed as chief sports advisor. Currently, he is an employee at Indian Railways.
