Wrestlers Sakshi Malik and Bajrang Punia leave after a meeting with the Union Sports Minister Anurag Thakur at the latter’s Akbar Road residence in New Delhi on June 7, 2023.
| Photo Credit: Shiv Kumar Pushpakar
After a six-hour meeting between the agitating wrestlers and Union Minister for Sports Anurag Thakur on Wednesday, a common ground has been found where the wrestlers have agreed to suspend their agitation till June 15, as the Minister assured them that the Delhi police would complete the probe by then and file a chargesheet in the case.
The wrestlers have been demanding action against Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) chief Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh, who is facing sexual harassment charges.
Mr. Thakur said he heard all the demands of the wrestlers and assured them of full cooperation from the government.
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Earlier late on Tuesday, Mr. Thakur had tweeted, “The government is willing to have a discussion with the wrestlers on their issues. I have once again invited the wrestlers for the same.”
Olympic winners Bajrang Punia and Sakshi Malik met with Mr. Thakur at his official residence in New Delhi, who had invited them for a meet to break the deadlock between the two parties, three days after Home Minister Amit Shah met them for a similar discussion. The meeting lasted nearly six hours.
Ms. Malik told The Hindu that during the meeting with Mr. Thakur, they had discussions on several issues, including safety of both female and male wrestlers.
“It has been discussed that the police investigation will be completed by June 15, and we have been requested to not protest till then, to which we have agreed. Mr. Thakur had agreed that the FIRs registered against us, on May 28, for rioting, will also be taken back,” Ms. Malik said.
On May 28, the protesting wrestlers were booked for violating law and order when they marched towards the new Parliament building without permission.
While June 15 has been set as a deadline, Mr. Punia said if no action was taken till the said date, their agitation would continue.
WFI elections
Mr. Punia said, of all the points discussed, the government had promised them a fair probe and assured that the WFI elections would take place by June 30.
“Concerning the elections for the WFI, there will be no discrimination and nobody with a criminal background will be up for the position of president,” Mr. Punia said.
The plan, according to the wrestlers, is to address all the points discussed in the meeting with Mr. Thakur with khap leaders, farmer leaders, women-led organisations to decide further.
Regarding wrestler Vinesh Phogat not attending the meeting, Mr. Punia said, “her support continues to stand ground. She has been in talks with us regarding all points of discussion. Her health hasn’t been doing good, due to which she could not join the protest.”
After the wrestlers addressed the media regarding the meeting, Mr. Thakur addressed a press conference.
Mr. Thakur said the probe would be over by June 15 and a charge sheet would be filed in the court. “They have said that they will not hold any agitation until then,” he told reporters.
‘Meeting positive’
The Sports Minister said the meeting with the wrestlers was positive. “I had invited them on behalf of the government yesterday. Today, we held a cordial discussion on the sensitive issue,” he said.
Mr. Thakur said he heard all the demands of the wrestlers and assured them of full cooperation from the government.
He said that as per their demands, the elections for the post of WFI president would be held by June 30 and that an Internal Complaint Committee, headed by a woman, would be established in the Federation. He also said that the players would be consulted on the election of the office-bearers of the WFI and its functioning.
The Minister said the wrestlers also demanded that nobody related to Mr. Singh be allowed to be part of the WFI.
“They also demanded security for wrestlers, especially women, and that the cases against players, coaches, akhadas and academies be withdrawn so that they don’t face a police action,” Mr. Thakur said, adding that he assured them on the same.
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