Day after FIRs, WFI chief defiant: Ready to face probe, will not quit

Responding to the demand for his resignation, he said: “Federation has no role. Their demands are continuously changing… They had demanded my resignation in January. I had said then that resignation means that I am accepting their allegations. My tenure is almost complete and it will get over automatically with fresh elections in 45 days.”

Singh claimed that he has given the probe committee an audio clip of a conversation in which a protesting wrestler is purportedly heard speaking about “arranging” a girl to implicate him.

Claiming that he has the support of all the akhadas in Haryana and Uttar Pradesh, he said it is only “one family’s akhada” which is against him.

Referring to Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi Vadra’s visit at the wrestlers’ protest site earlier in the day, Singh said: “Today, it has been seen who is behind this controversy. I have been saying from the beginning that an industrialist and the Congress have a hand in this. They are upset with me.”

The wrestlers, led by World Championship medalist Vinesh Phogat and Olympic medallists Sakshi Malik and Bajrang Punia, have been staging a sit-in at Jantar Mantar since April 23 in the second leg of their protest against Brij Bhushan.

Following the wrestlers’ call for support, politicians from across parties have been turning up at Jantar Mantar in solidarity. On Saturday, Priyanka, accompanied by Rajya Sabha Deepender Hooda, and Delhi Chief Minister and AAP leader Arvind Kejriwal were among those who met the wrestlers.

Speaking to reporters, Priyanka accused the government of shielding Singh. She said a copy of the FIRs filed against him must be shared with the wrestlers. “When these girls win medals, all of us tweet…it is said that they are our country’s pride.. But now, when they are sitting on the road and seeking to be heard, saying they have been wronged, no one is ready to listen to them,” she said.

“Had the Prime Minister been concerned, he would have at least called them and spoken to them. He had called them for tea when they won medals. So call them, talk to them, they are our girls,” she said.

Demanding Singh’s ouster, she said: “Till he is in that post, he will continue to exert pressure and keep destroying people’s careers.”

Amid the visits, Bajrang reiterated that their protest was not linked to any political party.

Meanwhile, International Booker Prize-winning author Geetanjali Shree also issued a statement expressing support for the protesting wrestlers. “To obtain simple justice, our ace wrestlers, forsaking their work and security, have been forced to mount an agitation and to approach the Supreme Court. It is painful and a national shame,” she said.

With PTI inputs