Protesting wrestlers form two committees to decide future of their agitation | More sports News – Times of India

By Adam D Anglo On May 5, 2023

NEW DELHI: The group of wrestlers, who are demanding the arrest of Wrestling Federation of India’s (WFI) sidelined president, Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh, on Friday formed two separate committees to decide the future of their agitation at Jantar Mantar here, which will complete two weeks on Sunday.
Tokyo Olympics bronze medallist Bajrang Punia, one of the faces of the protest, informed a select group of mediapersons that one committee will have 31 people while the other will comprise nine members. None of the wrestlers sitting at the protest site will be part of both committees.
“We have formed two committees to discuss the way forward. The first committee comprises 31 people while the other is of nine people. The objective of both committees will be the same – to decide the future of our protest. The 31-member committee will have members from all the organisations joining our struggle, including khap panchayats, farmers’ organisations, labour groups and students and women groups. The nine-member committee will decide on our wrestling matters. We will disclose more details on Saturday. None of the wrestlers sitting here are part of any of the two committees. Our job is to fight and we will continue to do so,” Bajrang said.

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The committees have been formed in view of the Supreme Court’s decision to close proceedings on the plea of sexual harassment allegations against Singh, a BJP-strongman and six-time Lok Sabha MP.
Bajrang informed that the recording of victims’ statements was completed on Friday by the Delhi police. “Vinesh (Phogat) is in touch with our legal team. We will soon reveal our strategy. We are not going to back down. We will restart our fight. We will go to the magistrate or high court. The recording of statements of complainants under Section 161 of the CrPC was completed today. Now, all the statements will be recorded under Section 164.”
Bajrang said a mass mobilisation of people has been planned for May 7 to support the movement. “A lot of our supporters will come here on May 7 and hold a panchayat. They did a panchayat on Thursday too. Whatever they decide will be acceptable to us. Nothing is bigger than society. If the society and the country ask us to vacate, we will leave.”
Bajrang informed that the chances of protesting wrestlers appearing for the Asian Games selection trials next month look increasingly difficult. “If the situation stays the same, I don’t think we’ll be able to play the trials. I have already said that for me, getting justice will be bigger than an Asiad medal,” he said.