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By India Today News Desk: Three months after wrestlers accused Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) president Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh of sexual harassment and WFI of mishandling funds and mismanagement, top Indian international wrestlers, including Vinesh Phogat, Bajrang Punia and Sakshi Malik, returned to Jantar Mantar to resume their protest against the WFI chief.
The wrestlers returned to Jantar Mantar on April 23 and said that the Delhi Police refused to file an FIR against Singh after seven female wrestlers, including a minor, complained against him of sexual harassment. The wrestlers had asserted they won’t leave the protest site until Singh is arrested.
The national award-winning grapplers have demanded that the findings of the oversight panel that investigated the allegations be made public. The panel was set up by the Sports Ministry in January after the wrestlers held a three-day sit-in. On Friday, Delhi Police lodged two FIRs against Singh in connection with the sexual harassment allegations against him.
Here are all the updates in the wrestlers’ protest case:
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Olympic medallist Bajrang Punia alleged that the Delhi Police was “torturing” protesting wrestlers by denying them food and water. He said the power to the protest site had also been snapped. “Police said that if you want to protest, sleep on the road. What kind of pressure has come on them today, there was no such problem before, this has happened only because of the pressure of the Supreme Court.”
He added that the wrestlers will protest “until justice is served” to them. “Until justice is served, we will protest no matter how much the police administration tortures us,” said wrestler Bajrang Punia.
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After the FIR against WFI President Chief Brijbhushan Sharan Singh was registered, wrestler Satyawart Kadian said that the Delhi Police should have lodged an FIR on the very first day of their protest.
“It is good that FIR has been registered. What will we get from the FIR? Will FIR get us justice? Delhi Police should have lodged an FIR on the very first day. Our on-paper fight has just started. Let’s see what our legal team & coaches have to say. We are demanding that wrestling must be separated from politics & future of our women wrestlers should be secured,” said Satyawart Kadian.
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Congress Rajya Sabha MP Deepender Hooda reached Jantar Mantar on Saturday morning to show his solidarity with the wrestlers. Hooda on Friday called for a Supreme Court-monitored probe into the issue raised by the protesting wrestlers to find out who were “protecting” the accused. Hooda also hit out at Sports Minister Anurag Thakur and Indian Olympics Association President PT Usha for “failing” to get justice for the protesting wrestlers.
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Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi Vadra met protesting wrestlers at Jantar Mantar here on Saturday and expressed solidarity with them. Priyanka Gandhi, who is scheduled to take part in a series of poll campaign events in Karnataka later in the day, reached Jantar Mantar in the morning and interacted with the wrestlers.
Priyanka Gandhi said, “Two FIRs have been registered against WFI chief Brij Bhushan Singh. But copies of the FIRs are yet to be received. If an FIR is registered, then it should be shown. Brij Bhushan Singh must resign as a fair probe is not possible till he remains the WFI chief.”
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Aam Aadmi Party convener and Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal is also expected to visit the protest site at Jantar Mantar today around 4 pm and speak to the wrestlers protesting there. Cabinet minister Saurabh Bhardwaj and Atishi are also expected to join Kejriwal in his visit.
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The Samyukta Kisan Morcha (non-political), a breakaway group of the Samyukt Kisan Morcha, on Friday said it will hold demonstrations across the country on May 3 in support of wrestlers who are protesting against Wrestling Federation of India president Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh.
The SKM (non-political), that spearheaded the year-long agitation against the now-repealed farm laws of the Centre, said farmers’ organisations associated with it also unanimously passed a resolution demanding the arrest of the WFI chief during a virtual meeting.
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