Talking to TOI, Bajrang, Sakshi and Vinesh said they had filed a complaint at the Connaught Place police station on Friday, stating seven female wrestlers, including one minor, were “molested, tortured and exploited” by Brij Bhushan in his capacity as WFI president. The wrestlers refused to reveal the names.
According to the wrestlers, it has been more than 48 hours but the police is yet to register an FIR on the complaint. “Brij Bhushan should be immediately arrested under the POCSO Act and put behind the bars,” said a teary-eyed Vinesh. “This is a matter of POCSO, and therefore the police should’ve acted immediately. That’s the law of the land. But, sadly, they haven’t,” said Bajrang.
03:51
Sexual harassment complaint: No FIR against WFI president yet, DCW sends notice to Delhi Police
“Among the seven wrestlers, there are some big names and international medal winners,” Vinesh added. “We have all the evidence and proof against Brij Bhushan. There should be a narco test conducted on him, and then all the truth will come out.”
“We will continue our protest till our demands are met, most important of which is the arrest of the WFI president,” said Sakshi.
After the wrestlers’ protest in January this year, the Union sports ministry had appointed a six-member oversight committee, led by boxing legend MC Mary Kom, to look into the allegations of sexual misconduct, harassment and intimidation, financial irregularities and administrative lapses levelled by the wrestlers.
01:58
Protest against WFI chief Brij Bhushan Singh: Wrestlers Vinesh Phogat, Sakshi Malik get emotional
According to sources in the sports ministry, the committee has submitted its report to sports minister Anurag Thakur. The wrestlers are demanding that the report be made public.
“We suspect the report has given a clean chit to the WFI president, and that’s why it is not being made public yet,” said Vinesh.
“We are waiting for the report since the last three months. We expected the sports ministry to be with us, but it is quite evident that it is not. That’s why it became necessary for us to sit on a protest once again. The common narrative that has been set is that we are lying, but our battle is for the truth to come out. The truth shall prevail, and for that the report should be made public immediately,” said Sakshi.
00:58
“Haven’t got justice since 3 months…,” Vinesh Phogat on wrestler’s protest against WFI chairman
About the demands made by the wrestlers, a source in the ministry said, “The sports minister met them (the wrestlers) twice to understand their issues and demands. An oversight committee was formed based on their request for a neutral investigation. The wrestlers were unhappy with the inclusion of Yogeshwar Dutt and demanded Babita Phogat be added to the committee, which was done. They wanted Mary Kom as the chairperson of the committee, which was done. During the course of the investigation, it would have been seen as partisan on the part of the government to meet any of the athletes as it would’ve shown them as trying to influence the probe.”
Bajrang also said that recently the National Cadet Wrestling Championship was held at Gonda, UP, the stronghold of the WFI president, despite Brij Bhushan being asked to step aside from the federation’s day-to-day functioning.
01:21
Delhi: Wrestlers again stage protest against WFI Chief Brijbhushan Sharan Singh at Jantar Mantar
“The sports ministry itself had stopped the WFI officials from getting involved in running the federation. But now, the old members of WFI are back and taking decisions. The WFI office has once again opened up. It has been a total fraud against us,” said Bajrang.
All three wrestlers said that “people at the highest level” are conspiring to put an end to their wrestling careers. “We being the senior-most wrestlers have taken the responsibility of the protest. The young wrestlers should not suffer. They can try and finish off our careers, but that’s not going to happen. We are all fighters, and we will fight to the last,” said Sakshi.
The wrestlers this time haven’t got permission to protest at Jantar Mantar, a designated site for protests in the national capital. For any protest at Jantar Mantar, permission from the Supreme Court is mandatory.
By Sunday evening, a big number of police personnel gathered at the protest site, leading to a couple of incidents. Vinesh and her husband Somveer had gone outside to get food and water for the protesting wrestlers, but were stopped from re-entering the site. They were grated entry only after the entire media contingent objected to the police behaviour. Bajrang had to then dial a few numbers and the police relented thereafter. Some mediapersons were also not allowed to enter and one of them was even manhandled by the police.
if(typeof window !== ‘undefined’) {
window.TimesApps = window.TimesApps || {};
const { TimesApps } = window;
TimesApps.loadScriptsOnceAdsReady = () => {
var scripts = [
‘https://static.clmbtech.com/ad/commons/js/2658/toi/colombia_v2.js’,
‘https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/grxpushnotification_js/minify-1,version-2.cms’,
‘https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/locateservice_js/minify-1,version-14.cms’
];
scripts.forEach(function(url) {
let script = document.createElement(‘script’);
script.type=”text/javascript”;
if(!false && !false && !false && url.indexOf(‘colombia_v2’)!== -1){
script.src = url;
} else if (!false && !false && !false && url.indexOf(‘sdkloader’)!== -1) {
script.src = url;
} else if (!false && (url.indexOf(‘tvid.in/sdk’) !== -1 || url.indexOf(‘connect.facebook.net’) !== -1 || url.indexOf(‘locateservice_js’) !== -1 )) {
script.src = url;
} else if (url.indexOf(‘colombia_v2’)== -1 && url.indexOf(‘sdkloader’)== -1 && url.indexOf(‘tvid.in/sdk’)== -1 && url.indexOf(‘connect.facebook.net’) == -1){
script.src = url;
}
script.async = true;
script.defer = true;
document.body.appendChild(script);
});
}
}
More News
‘I think you have to pick your…’: Sunil Narine on his blistering knock | Cricket News – Times of India
Kieron Pollard shows Hardik Pandya-led Mumbai Indians why he’s still the best in the business – WATCH | Cricket News – Times of India
‘Pehle tu jaa’: MS Dhoni’s arrival at No.9 for the first time sparks meme fest on the internet | Cricket News – Times of India