Top Indian wrestlers have returned to the Jantar Mantar in Delhi to resume their protest against former WFI Chief Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh. They have made serious sexual harassment charges against him and want are demanding his removal from the organization and also strict action against him.
“No justice, no wrestling. We are not moving from here till we get our due of justice,” Olympic medalist Bajrang Punia told The Bridge in an interaction at the protest site.
Earlier in January, the Wrestlers started this protest for the first time. They complained about the corruption and revealed the accusations against the former WFI Chief. However, the sports ministry acted quickly and in three days they formed an Oversight committee to take up the matter and the wrestlers called off the protest.
But since then the Committee have not submitted the report of their findings and hence the wrestlers have returned to protest again. Bajrang Punia feels that the Oversight Committee would not do any good for the wrestlers and they have lost complete trust in them. “We cannot trust the oversight committee as the members of the committee are not satisfied with the work. I am sure the committee would not do any good for the wrestlers,” he added.
While Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh’s term as WFI President is over and he won’t be running for the post again in the WFI elections. But Bajrang highlights that they must point out the wrong. He feels that someone else will take his place and will work on his instructions and things will remain the same. The wrestlers are collectively taking a stand for the safety of female athletes.
“We know that his term is going to be over but we have to fight the wrong. I know someone who will run the federation on his instructions will come and the problem will continue. We are here for the safety of women athletes and everybody knows who we are up against,” Bajrang said about the elections.
With the Asian Games happening later this year and the Paris Olympics scheduled next year, it is very harmful to the wrestlers to spend their entire on roads, away from training. But Bajrang highlights the importance of the protest and he wishes that the sports ministry finds a solution soon.
“This is extremely harmful to all the wrestlers sitting here. We all play for the pride of our nation and we want to end this soon and move our wrestling but since we are protesting here on the roads, I don’t think there can be anything worse than this.”
Reports suggest that the wrestlers have turned towards Supreme Court against the former WFI Chief.
