Top Indian international wrestlers, including Vinesh Phogat, Bajrang Punia, and Sakshi Malik, returned to Jantar Mantar to continue their protest against the WFI president three months after they accused him of sexual harassment and the WFI of mishandling funds and mismanagement.
On April 23, the wrestlers returned to Jantar Mantar and claimed that the Delhi Police had declined to file an FIR against Singh following complaints of sexual harassment from seven female wrestlers, including a minor. When Singh is not arrested, the wrestlers claim they won't leave the protest area.
The national champion wrestlers have demanded that the results of the investigation by the oversight body into the accusations be made public. The panel was established by the Sports Ministry in January following a three-day sit-in by the wrestlers. In relation to the charges of sexual harassment against Singh, the Delhi Police filed two FIRs against him on Friday.
Olympic medalist Bajrang Punia claimed that by depriving protesting wrestlers of food and drink, the Delhi Police was "torturing" them. He claimed that the protest site's power had also been cut off. "Police advised sleeping on the road if you wanted to protest. What type of pressure has been placed on them today? There was never a problem like this; the Supreme Court's pressure is the sole reason it occurred.
The wrestlers, he continued, would protest "until justice is served" to them. Bajrang Punia, a wrestler, declared that "until justice is served, we will protest no matter how much the police administration tortures us."
Wrestler Satyawart Kadian claimed that the Delhi Police should have filed an FIR on the first day of their protest before the FIR against WFI President Chief Brijbhushan Sharan Singh was filed.
"It's a good thing that an FIR was filed. What will the FIR tell us? Can FIR bring us justice? The first day should have seen the Delhi Police file an FIR. Our battle on paper has barely begun. Let's hear from our legal counsel and coaches. We demand that politics and wrestling be kept apart and that the future of our female wrestlers is guaranteed, stated Satyawart Kadian.
Deepender Hooda, a Rajya Sabha member for the Congress, traveled to Jantar Mantar on Saturday morning to support the wrestlers. Hooda demanded on Friday that the Supreme Court oversee an investigation into the matter brought up by the protesting wrestlers to determine who was "protecting" the accused. In addition, Hooda criticized Indian Olympics Association President PT Usha and Sports Minister Anurag Thakur for "failing" to pursue justice for the wrestlers who were protesting.
On Saturday, Congresswoman Priyanka Gandhi Vadra met with wrestlers who were staging a protest at Jantar Mantar and offered her support. Priyanka Gandhi arrived at Jantar Mantar in the morning and spoke with the wrestlers before departing for a series of election-related activities in Karnataka later in the day.
Two FIRs have been filed against Brij Bhushan Singh, the head of the WFI, according to Priyanka Gandhi. However, copies of the FIRs are still pending. An FIR should be displayed if one has been filed. As long as Brij Bhushan Singh is the head of the WFI, an impartial investigation will not be possible.
Arvind Kejriwal, the convener of the Aam Aadmi Party and the Chief Minister of Delhi, is also scheduled to stop by the Jantar Mantar protest site today at around 4 o'clock to interact with the wrestlers who are there. Atishi and Saurabh Bhardwaj, a cabinet minister, are anticipated to accompany Kejriwal on his trip.
A splinter faction of the Samyukt Kisan Morcha, the Samyukta Kisan Morcha (non-political), said on Friday that it would organize protests on May 3 in several cities across the nation in support of wrestlers who are opposing Wrestling Federation of India head Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh.
Farmers' associations affiliated with the SKM (non-political), which led the year-long protest against the now-repealed farm laws of the Centre, reportedly overwhelmingly passed a motion seeking the arrest of the WFI chairman during a virtual conference.
