Don’t take any step that would undermine sports, let probe be completed: Sports Minister to protesting wrestlers

Sports Minister Anurag Thakur also urged the wrestlers to be patient and trust the investigation.
| Photo Credit: Agencies

Sports Minister Anurag Thakur on May 31 asked protesting wrestlers not to take any step that would undermine sports, a day after the grapplers threatened to immerse their medals in river Ganga at Haridwar.

Mr. Thakur also urged the wrestlers to be patient and trust the investigation into the allegations against the Wrestling Federation of India’s former chief Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh.

“I urge the wrestlers to be patient till the outcome of the investigation. I also urge them not to take any step that would undermine sports,” the minister said while replying to queries from reporters.

He also said that Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) will hold elections and a new body will be elected soon.

The WFI president has stepped aside and the WFI is not taking any decision. The committee of administrators set up by the Indian Olympic Association is taking everyday decisions, Mr. Thakur said.

He stressed that his Ministry had acted promptly on the wrestlers’ complaint and appropriate action would be taken once the probe is completed.

Mr. Thakur also listed steps taken by the government to “fulfil the hopes of players and help strengthen sports in the country”.

The Minister’s remarks come a day after the country’s top wrestlers, including Sakshi Malik, Vinesh Phogat and Bajrang Punia, along with hundreds of their supporters, reached Har ki Pauri to immerse their medals in the river Ganga but were persuaded by Khap and farmer leaders not to do so.

The wrestlers are demanding the arrest of Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh who is accused of sexually harassing several women grapplers.

Thakur said that after some wrestlers complained, a committee was immediately formed in consultation with them to look into the issue.

Members were added following the wrestlers’ request for an impartial probe. The committee gave its report and an FIR was registered after they went to the Supreme Court, which asked them to go to the magistrate, he said.

“Whatever they said, we did not leave any stone unturned, but the goalpost was changed and new goalposts were made. We heard them with an open mind,” the Minister said.

He noted that the investigation is continuing in the matter. He said whenever any such allegation had been made in the past, an investigation was carried out and adequate action was taken after that.

“Let the investigation be complete. If they feel, they can protest after that. But they should have faith in the Supreme Court, the police, Sports Ministry.”

“We also want that there should be an impartial investigation on the issues raised by the players and appropriate action should taken after that. The police are conducting the probe and they should wait for the investigation and have patience,” he said.

Mr. Thakur noted that the players should not take any step which could undermine players and sports, as a number of emerging players are preparing for the Asian Games and thousands of sportspersons are participating in trials.

“After all, the probe will be held as per rules and the law and adequate action would be taken after the investigation is completed,” he noted.

On politicisation of the wrestlers’ protest, the minister said players had themselves stated in January that their platform is not for doing politics and they do not want anyone to play politics on their issue.

Later, however, many political parties and trade unions started coming to their platform, he said.

“I do not want to comment on who came to their platform. But, I would urge the players that they should have confidence in the Delhi police probe as they have registered the FIR on the Supreme Court’s direction.”

“It would be proper that they do not take any such step that hurts any sportsperson or sports. We are all in favour of sports and sportspersons. We all want to promote sports and sports has moved forward under prime minister Narendra Modi and its budget and achievements have also risen,” Mr. Thakur said.

Mr. Thakur also said that the Modi government has increased the budget for sports from ₹874 crore to over ₹2782 crore and brought schemes like Khelo India and TOPS which have helped players reach the podium.

Asserting that India is surging ahead under the leadership of Narendra Modi, he said 300 large sports infrastructure facilities are being set up at a cost of ₹2,700 crore to fulfil the dreams of our sportspersons.

“We want to do more, we want to make the nation strong in the field of sports,” he said, adding that all this is to fulfil the hopes of players and help strengthen sports in the country.