Wrestlers’ protest against Brij Bhushan continues overnight

Wrestlers Bajrang Punia, Vinesh Phogat, Sakshi Malik and others during their protest dharna at Jantar Mantar, in New Delhi. PTI

New Delhi: India’s top wrestlers spent the night in the open on a footpath at Jantar Mantar as they resumed their sit-in protest against Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) chief Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh over the issue of sexual harassment allegations against him.

The picture of them sleeping on a footpath was shared by VInesh Phogat on Twitter with the caption: “From Podium to footpath”.

Bajrang Punia, Vinesh Phogat and other wrestlers on Sunday returned to the protest site three months after they demanded Singh’s removal from the head office and Wrestling Federation of India be disbanded.

They have accused the body and its chief of mistreatment and sexual harassment against women wrestlers.

Earlier in January this year, star wrestlers including Olympic bronze medallists Sakshi Malik, Bajrang Punia, Olympic silver medallist Ravi Dhaiya and Asian Games gold medallist Vinesh Phogat had raised the issue but ended their three-day-long sit-in after marathon talks with Union Sports Minister Anurag Thakur.

Following the protest in January, Thakur had announced an investigation into the case by a five-member oversight committee which is headed by legendary boxer Mary Kom.

The wrestlers have now demanded that the sports ministry make the report of the oversight committee headed by Mary Kom public.

The wrestlers have also alleged that Delhi Police is not registering an FIR in sexual harassment case of women wrestlers and vowed to fight for justice.

“We will sit here day and night. Till the time we don’t get justice. We will sit here,” Vinesh Phogat said on Sunday. “It is about our safety and if we international medal-winning female wrestlers are not safe then who is safe? We are from a wrestling family and we are trying to save it till our last breath,” Phogat added.

The ace wrestler added that she and others are unaware of what the committee has worked on so far.

“We don’t know what the committee is doing. We are asking for justice and we came in front of the entire public to ask for justice and here we are again. It’s been 3 months, and we haven’t got justice, that’s why we are protesting again. We demand justice, FIR has not been registered yet. We are grateful that DCW is supporting us”

Delhi Commission for Women has issued notice to the state Police to take the action against the complaint filed and to provide an explanation for the delay in filing the FIR report.

The panel has asked Delhi Police to submit an action taken report by 25 April.

Sakshi Malik said that the wrestlers want a “fast” investigation into the matter.

“We wanted to file a sexual harassment FIR against Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh. Two days ago we got a complaint filed but FIR hasn’t been registered yet. There are seven female wrestlers and one of them is a minor. We want the investigation to happen fast. It is a sensitive matter. We are being framed as liars which we cannot bear. We are waiting for two and a half months now but no one is listening. People are saying we are spent force that is why we are protesting. We just won a medal at CWG 2022,” Sakshi Malik said.

On Monday, Bajrang Punia said that wrestlers are now open to political parties joining their protest against WFI chief Brij Bhushan Singh.

“This time, all parties are welcome to join our protest whether it is BJP, Congress, AAP or any other party…..we’re not affiliated with any party,” Bajrang Punia said.

The oversight committee members include former wrestler Yogeshwar Dutt, former shuttler Trupti Murgunde, SAI member Radhica Sreeman, former CEO of the Target Olympic Podium Plan Rajesh Rajagopalan and CWG gold medalist Babita Phogat.

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